Reflections | Sunday, 13th April 2014

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Taken from: www.awmi.net/bible/luk_23_18

Luke 23:18

And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this [man], and release unto us Barabbas:
 

What happened to Barabbas is a picture of what happens when a person becomes born again. Barabbas was guilty; Jesus was innocent. Yet Jesus suffered the death that Barabbas should have experienced, and Barabbas went free.

Likewise, we were all guilty (Ro 3:23) and condemned to death (Ro 6:23), yet Jesus suffered our punishment so that we might go free (2Co 5:21). Just as Barabbas didn't ask for this substitution, so "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Ro 5:8).

Barabbas was freed, but he had to choose whether or not to accept this new start and remain free or go back to his old ways and come under the judgment of Rome again. Likewise, we have all been freed through the substitutionary death of Jesus, but we have to choose whether to accept our freedom by putting faith in Jesus or reject it by denying Him.

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Reflections | Sunday, 17th November 2013

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The Rent Veil
A Sermon Delivered on Lord's-day Morning, March 25th, 1888, by
C. H. SPURGEON,
At the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington 

Taken from: http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/2015.htm

Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom—Matthew 27:50-51.

Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which be hath consecrated for us, through the, veil, that is to say, his flesh—Hebrews 10:19-20.

THE DEATH of our Lord Jesus Christ was fitly surrounded by miracles; yet it is itself so much greater a wonder than all besides, that it as far exceeds them as the sun outshines the planets which surround it. It seems natural enough that the earth should quake, that tombs should be opened, and that the veil of the temple should be rent, when He who only hath immortality gives up the ghost. The more you think of the death of the Son of God, the more will you be amazed at it. As much as a miracle excels a common fact, so doth this wonders of wonders rise above all miracles of power. That the divine Lord, even though veiled in mortal flesh, should condescend to be subject to the power of death, so as to bow His head on the cross, and submit to be laid in the tomb, is among mysteries the greatest. The death of Jesus is the marvel of time and eternity, which, as Aaron's rod swallowed up all the rest, takes up into itself all lesser marvels.

Yet the rending of the veil of the temple is not a miracle to be lightly passed over. It was made of "fine twined linen, with Cherubims of cunning work." This gives the idea of a substantial fabric, a piece of lasting tapestry, which would have endured the severest strain. No human hands could have torn that sacred covering; and it could not have been divided in the midst by any accidental cause; yet, strange to say, on the instant when the holy person of Jesus was rent by death, the great veil which concealed the holiest of all was "rent in twain from the top to the bottom." What did it mean? It meant much more than I can tell you now.

It is not fanciful to regard it as a solemn act of mourning on the part of the house of the Lord. In the East men express their sorrow by rending their garments; and the temple, when it beheld its Master die, seemed struck with horror, and rent its veil. Shocked at the sin of man, indignant at the murder of its Lord, in its sympathy with Him who is the true temple of God, the outward symbol tore its holy vestment from the top to the bottom. Did not the miracle also mean that from that hour the whole system of types, and shadows, and ceremonies had come to an end? The ordinances of an earthly priesthood were rent with that veil. In token of the death of the ceremonial law, the soul of it quitted its sacred shrine, and left its bodily tabernacle as a dead thing. The legal dispensation is over. The rent of the veil seemed to say—"Henceforth God dwells no longer in the thick darkness of the Holy of Holies, and shines forth no longer from between the cherubim. The special enclosure is broken up, and there is no inner sanctuary for the earthly high priest to enter: typical atonements and sacrifices are at an end."

According to the explanation given in our second text, the rending of the veil chiefly meant that the way into the holiest, which was not before made manifest, was now laid open to all believers. Once in the year the high priest solemnly lifted a corner of this veil with fear and trembling, and with blood and holy incense he passed into the immediate presence of Jehovah; but the tearing of the veil laid open the secret place. The rent front top to bottom gives ample space for all to enter who are called of God's grace, to approach the throne, and to commune with the Eternal One.

Click here to view full sermon - http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/2015.htm

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Reflections | Sunday, 29th September 2013

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The Rich Man And Lazarus (taken from: http://gracethrufaith.com/topical-studies/the-rich-man-lazarus/)

A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

The story of the Rich Man and Lazarus is found only in the gospel according to Luke (Luke 16:19-31) and is the clearest picture anywhere in Scripture of the afterlife. As such it is essential reading for anyone attempting to counter the plethora of books by believers and non-believers alike who claim to have visited heaven or hell and been sent back. It’s also an argument against the eastern notion of reincarnation.

The Book of Job, arguably the first book of the Bible to be written, was the earliest to mention life after death.

I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God;I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! (Job 19:25-27),

Later David, Isaiah, Daniel and others also wrote about the life that comes after death as a reward for righteousness. Daniel was the first to clarify that the unrighteous will also rise from the grave, and it’s from his explanation (Dan 12:2) that we’ve come to understand that everyone who is ever born lives forever. (Bodies are killed or wear out and expire but spirits, the repositories of life, are eternal.)

An angel explained to Daniel that while all who have died rise from the grave, for some the resurrection brings everlasting reward and for others it brings everlasting shame and contempt. This is clarified in Revelation 20:11-15 where we’re told that the unsaved dead will return from the grave for the purpose of being judged for their behavior while living. This is where we learn about about the 2nd death, actually a conscious state of eternal and solitary separation from God accompanied by never ending torment, as the outcome of this judgment. Christians think of this as “hell” but as we’ll learn from the Rich Man and Lazarus it’s really much worse. Let’s get started.
What’s The Story?

Here’s a summary of the story. A rich man lived in the lap of luxury, while a beggar (Lazarus) languished outside his gate hoping for scraps from his table. In due time they both died. Angels carried Lazarus to “Abraham’s side (bosom)” a popular Jewish term in that day for the abode of the dead. The part reserved for believers was also called Paradise. Jesus promised one of the men being crucified with Him that they would meet there before the end of the day (Luke 23:43). The Hebrew name for this place is Sheol, while the Greeks called it Hades from which the English word Hell is derived. The rich man also went there upon dying, but while Lazarus was being comforted, the rich man was in constant torment. This tells us he was not a believer. Asking Abraham for relief, he was informed that while they were within sight and speaking distance of each other, they were actually in two different areas and there was no way to cross from one to the other. (Luke 16:19-26)

The rich man then asked Abraham to send Lazarus back to warn his brothers, still alive, to make sure they came to the place where Lazarus was instead of where he was, but Abraham refused, saying, “They have Moses and the Prophets (the Old Testament), let them listen to them.” “No”, said the rich man, “But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.” Abraham responded, “If they will not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.” (Luke 16:27-31)
What’s The Point?

And there’s the whole point of the story. Three points actually:

1) The only place to secure your eternal destiny is here on earth before you die (Hebr. 9:27). The rich man never asked for a 2nd chance for himself, only that his brothers be warned while they were still living so they could avoid sharing his fate. Having experienced the alternative, there’s no way he would have turned down an opportunity to join Abraham and Lazarus if one existed for him. Abraham made it clear that it was impossible to cross from either area to the other.

2) The Bible contains all the facts you need to make an informed decision about eternity and is the Lord’s chosen method for bringing His children to Salvation.

3) When folks aren’t convinced by Scripture, even someone coming back from the dead will fail to persuade them, a fact the Lord Himself proved all too convincingly a short time later.
Grace Through Faith

Before the cross, those who had died in faith of a coming Redeemer as the Scriptures taught them went to a temporary place of comfort to rest until in the fullness of time the Redeemer’s shed blood finally erased the penalty for their sins. This is the place called Abraham’s bosom in the passage.

When Jesus came to Sheol after His death on the cross, he commended them for their faith (1 Ptr. 4:6) and took them to Heaven (Matt 27:52-53, Ephes. 4:8)). His crucifixion had removed the final obstacle to their entry into God’s presence. All who have died in faith since the cross go straight into the Lord’s presence (2 Cor 5:7-8) where they await reunion with their resurrection bodies (1 Thes. 4:16-17).

The unsaved dead will continue to languish with the rich man until the end of the Millennium when they too are raised, judged, and then banished to a place of eternal torment, but this time in utter separation and darkness (Revelation 20:15).

Many in the liberal church, in cults, the New Age and in the Eastern religions speak of another chance to reconcile with God following physical death. Some even claim we’ll be reincarnated in a series of lives through which we can work our way toward perfection, eventually earning our place with God or even becoming a god. The Bible speaks of no such things, teaching instead that “man is destined to die once and after that to face judgment” (Hebr. 9:27). The Lord’s own words in the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus confirm this.

Trick Or Treat?

What a great trick of our enemy, persuading supposedly learned theologians to teach their biblically ignorant followers to ignore the clear admonitions of Scripture and seek an alternate way, only to discover after it’s too late that they were misled. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it. (Matt 7:13-14). In the context of these 2 verses all are seeking the path to salvation, but only a few find it. Most choose the complex over the simple, the wide over the small, the broad over the narrow. Here’s the simple, small and narrow truth. God, Who created us, requires us to live by His law. Sin is the violation of God’s law and the penalty is death. Because you can’t avoid sinning you can’t avoid the penalty, but because He loves you so much Jesus offered to die in your place. God agreed to this and has issued you a full pardon. You need only believe He did this for you to be forgiven of all your sins, past present and future and receive your pardon. When you do your eternal destiny changes from torment to paradise, from separation to union, from death to life. But remember, you only have this life in which to do this, and you have no way of knowing how soon your life will end. If you haven’t already accepted His pardon, better do it now while you can.

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Reflections | Sunday, 15th September 2013

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Taken from: http://www.gci.org/disc/07-whydie

Why Did Jesus Have to Die?

Jesus had an amazingly productive ministry, teaching and healing thousands. He attracted large crowds and had potential for much more. He could have healed thousands more by traveling to the Jews and Gentiles who lived in other areas.

But Jesus allowed this work to come to a sudden end. He could have avoided arrest, but he chose to die instead of expanding his ministry. Although his teachings were important, he had come not just to teach, but also to die.

The Old Testament tells us that God appeared as a human being on several occasions. If Jesus wanted only to heal and teach, he could have simply appeared. But he did more: he became a human. Why? So he could die. To understand Jesus, we need to understand his death. His death is part of the gospel message and something all Christians should know about.
Death was an important part of Jesus’ ministry. This is the way we remember him, through the cross as a symbol of Christianity or through the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper. Our Savior is a Savior who died.

Born to die

Jesus said, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). He came to give his life, to die, and his death would result in salvation for others. This was the reason he came to earth. His blood was poured out for others (Matthew 26:28).

Jesus warned his disciples that he would suffer and die, but they did not seem to believe it. “Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. ‘Never, Lord!’ he said. ‘This shall never happen to you!’” (Matthew 16:21-22).

Jesus knew that he must die, because the Scriptures said so. “Why then is it written that the Son of Man must suffer much and be rejected?” (Mark 9:12; 9:31; 10:33-34). “Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself…. ‘This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day’” (Luke 24:26-27, 46).

It all happened according to God’s plan: Herod and Pilate did only what God “had decided beforehand should happen” (Acts 4:28). In the Garden of Gethsemane, as Jesus knew that he would soon be crucified, Jesus asked his Father if there might be some other way, but there was none (Luke 22:42). His death was necessary for our salvation.

The suffering servant

It was written in the Old Testament, Jesus had said. Where was it written? Isaiah 53 is one of the prophecies. Jesus quoted Isaiah 53:12 when he said: “It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment” (Luke 22:37). Jesus, although without sin, was to be counted among sinners. 

Notice what else is written in Isaiah 53:

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

For the transgression of my people he was stricken.... Though he had done no violence ... it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer ... the Lord makes his life a guilt offering.... He will bear their iniquities.... He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors (verses 4-12).

Isaiah describes someone who suffers not for his own sins, but for the sins of others. And though this man would be “cut off from the land of the living” (verse 8), that would not be the end of the story. “He will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many.... He will see his offspring and prolong his days” (verses 11, 10).

What Isaiah wrote, Jesus fulfilled. He laid down his life for his sheep (John 10:15). In his death, he carried our sins and suffered for our transgressions; he was punished so that we might have peace with God. Through his suffering and death, our spiritual illness is healed; we are justified, accepted by God.

These truths are developed in more detail in the New Testament.

Dying an accursed death

“Anyone who is hung on a tree is under God’s curse,” says Deuteronomy 21:23. Because of this verse, Jews considered any crucified person to be condemned by God. As Isaiah wrote, people would consider him “stricken by God.”

The Jewish leaders probably thought that Jesus’ disciples would give up after their leader was killed. And it happened just as they hoped — the crucifixion shattered the disciples’ hopes. They were dejected and said, “We had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel” (Luke 24:21). But their hopes were dramatically restored when Jesus appeared to them after his resurrection, and at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit filled them with new conviction to proclaim salvation in Jesus Christ. They had unshakable faith in the least likely hero: a crucified Messiah.

Peter told the Jewish leaders, “The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead—whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree” (Acts 5:30). By using the word tree, Peter reminded the leaders about the curse involved in crucifixion. But the shame was not on Jesus, he said—it was on the people who crucified him. God had blessed Jesus because he did not deserve the curse he suffered. God had reversed the stigma.

Paul referred to the same curse in Galatians 3:13: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.’” Jesus became a curse on our behalf so we could escape the curse of the law, which is death. He became something he was not, so that we could become something we were not. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

He became sin for us, so that we might be declared righteous through him. Because he suffered what we deserved, he redeemed us from the curse of the law. “The punishment that brought us peace was upon him.” Because he suffered death, we can enjoy peace with God.

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Reflections | Sunday, 25th August 2013

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Taken from http://www.awmi.net/bible/luk_13_24

Luke 13:24

Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

Note 2 at Lu 13:24: The Greek word used for "strive" in this verse is "AGONIZOMAI." It means "to struggle, literally (to compete for a prize), figuratively (to contend with an adversary), or genitive case (to endeavor to accomplish something)" (Strong's Concordance). It definitely implies that effort is involved in obtaining salvation. True salvation is not just mental assent but a real heartfelt commitment.

The effort implied here is not for the purpose of earning salvation; that is a free gift (Ro 5:15), but we do have to fight the good fight of faith (1Ti 6:12). Faith in Jesus' goodness is what saves us--not our own goodness--and Satan is constantly trying to destroy our faith. We have to earnestly contend for the faith (Jude 3).

Note 3 at Lu 13:24: Jesus said that many will seek to enter salvation and will not be able to. There are many reasons for this, but none of those reasons are because God refused salvation to anyone. "The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men" (Tit 2:11), and God is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2Pe 3:9).

As Jesus went on to explain in Lu 13:25, some will not really seek salvation until it is too late. Others "have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 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" (Ro 10:2-3). Others may give lip service, but they do not believe from their hearts (Lu 6:46 and Ro 10:10).

We can rest assured that all those who hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled (Mt 5:6). "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Ro 10:13).

Luke 13:26

Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.

Note 4 at Lu 13:26: These people were claiming salvation by association. They didn't cite any commitment or faith on their part as reason why the Lord should accept them. They mistakenly thought they would be saved because they had been in the presence of the Lord.

Likewise, many people today think that going to church and associating with Christians will provide them with salvation. Some people think they are Christians because their parents were. But salvation is having a personal relationship with the Lord. People cannot inherit salvation through the natural birth. "Ye must be born again" (Joh 3:7, see note 2 at Joh 3:3).

Luke 13:28

There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you [yourselves] thrust out.

Note 5 at Lu 13:28: This passage is speaking of judgment and applies to all who reject God's salvation through Jesus. However, in context, the specific application was to these Jews and the Jewish nation. Jesus was saying that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the prophets would be in the kingdom of God, but these Jews wouldn't. They thought they would be saved because they were Jews. They were trusting in their genealogy and not in a Savior. They thought they would obtain salvation by natural birth and were ignorant of the new birth (see note 2 at Joh 3:3).

Lu 13:29 goes on to speak of people coming from the east, the west, the north, and the south and entering into the kingdom of God. This is a reference to the Gentiles being granted admission into the kingdom of God (see note 2 at Lu 2:32 and note 45 at Mt 6:32), and it infuriated these Jews. As explained in note 4 at Lu 13:26, they believed they would be saved by association with God as His chosen people, and they couldn't accept that anyone who wasn't a Jew could make it.

The statement in Lu 13:30 about the last being first is also in reference to the Gentiles and Jews. The Jewish nation was first in the sense that they were given the covenants and the greater opportunity to know God. But they would become the last in the sense that they rejected Jesus as their Messiah; salvation would be taken from them and given to the Gentiles (Ro 11:11).

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Reflections | 15th June 2013

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(Taken from Father's Love Letter Devotional Series)

And to tell you that I am  not counting your sins.

2 Corinthians 5:18-19

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them.

(NIV Bible)

What do you think God is like? Do you see Him as a loving Father or an angry judge? Are you held in His arms or seated in His courtroom? Is He speaking words of encouragement to you or words of judgment? Do His eyes reflect His love and affirmation or do they instill fear in your heart? Is God celebrating your triumphs or pointing out all your failures?

It is our tendency to become like the God we worship. If we worship a God who is a loving Father, we will love ourselves and will reflect His love to others. If we see Him as an angry judge, we will live under self-judgment and condemnation and hold others to the standards to which we are trying to live by.

While God is righteous and holy and sin cannot dwell in His presence, the issue of our sin has been dealt with once and for all by the death of Jesus Christ. Because of the cross, when God looks at us, He does not see our sin but only the precious blood of His Son. Because of Jesus' sacrifice, we have been reconciled to God and our sins have been separated from us as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). What a glorious thought! God is not counting my sins! God is not counting your sins! Hallelujah!

PRAYER

Father, I thank You for not counting my sins against me. I believe that You are not an angry judge but You are my loving Father! I thank You for sending Your Son Jesus Christ to die on a cross for me to take upon Himself all my sin. I thank You that His death, burial and resurrection have made a way for me to be completely forgiven and fully reconciled to You as Your little child. In the name of Your beloved Son Jesus I pray, AMEN.

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Reflections | 13th June 2013

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(Taken from LetUsReason)

The nature of the gospel is important to understand. The gospel itself is God’s arrangement by His grace. But it was costly, it cost God’s Son his life. We enter into covenant (agreement) by His work through faith. It is initiated by our obedience, (faith is obedience by repentance-turning toward God and believing in what He said), by this we are accepted by him? Christianity teaches we are saved by faith alone, but it is not alone - it is accompanied by good works. However there are many today who say we can be accepted by God by our good works alone without any blood atonement (not by an animal but by the sinless Son of God). That we can ask for God’s forgiveness on our own merits. This not good news but old news! It was Cain who wanted to approach God by his own good works, choosing his own offering. He wanted to be accepted as righteous on his own merit and not the blood sacrifice they were told to obey. He was the first person who rejected the way of God without any outside influence. (unlike Eve who was influenced into deception by the Devil). throughout mankind's history the Bible records that all righteous men sacrificed. This teaching comes from the garden when God by example showed Adam and Eve what is necessary for their sin. Since this first promise to Adam and Eve in Genesis there has been a mystery surrounding the gospel throughout history. The word mystery is found once in each of the Synoptic Gospels: once in Matthew; Mark; Luke. Paul used the word more than any of the writers; 21 times. It is used four times in the Book of Revelation, 28 times in all. The chief way the word “mystery” is used as the Mystery Kingdom- God in the Messiah, the Gentile and the Jews together as the Church which is covered from different aspects in the book of Ephesians and Colossians. Then there were also hidden meanings found in symbols and types. This mystery was written by the prophets and given in typology throughout the Old Testament but it was not revealed until something happened unlike anything before in history- Gen. 3:15 took place, the seed of the woman.

Paul relays this mystery, making it clear this gospel was not found in the stars, the pyramids or anything else held by mankind. Rom.16:25-26: “ Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now has been made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures has been made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith--According to my Gospel.”

Paul made this personal as he was saved from the law and learned true freedom under grace, that the gospel became his life so he calls it “my gospel.” It was not just something he taught but lived each and everyday. He was whipped for it, put in prison and suffered from his own brethren for going town to town delivering it as life to the gentiles to all the nations surrounding Israel.The phrase “since the world began” in Greek means “in eternal times” in all past times this has “always” been concealed. But now God's plan of saving people was made known to all nations by the “writings” of the prophets. The prophetic writings contained the doctrines but they were not all understood by the writers but confirmed the truth that the Gentiles should be made fellow heirs to the gospel. It is to these writings the apostle appealed to that the gospel was to be preached to the Gentiles.

Gal. 1:11-13 “But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.”Rom.1:1 “Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh.” Here we have Paul pointing back to the prophets writings saying it was a promise. Although he mentions the seed of David he certainly had in mind Gen.3:15 the seed of the woman. As he writes in Gal. 4:4 “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law.”

Rom.5:12 tells us sin entered the world through one man- Adam- and that everyone is given a built in death warrant because of their sin nature that has been passed on. The life is in the blood we are told in Leviticus. In Acts 20:28 it states “God purchased the Church with his own blood.” The blood from Emmanuel’s veins. This the very reason there had to be a virgin birth. It’s not that God has any blood, but that the life that was in the Son was pure, sinless.

Paul states in Rom. 1:16-17 the gospel of Christ, is “the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” 

They lived by faith in the Old Testament and we live by faith in the New Testament. They sacrificed animals to cover their sin but they had to have faith mixed with it or it was not accepted. It was brought to and through the Jews first- but it was meant for the Greeks / the gentiles as well.

In Galatians Paul states how this gospel was to affect all mankind. Gal. 3:8-9 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.

It is in Eph. 3:6 we are told “that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel” In Gal. 3:17 “And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ.” The promise of justification was made to believers in Christ Jesus, who are the spiritual seed, children of Abraham because of their faith. Abraham believed in God, and he was justified; as the Gentiles believe in Christ they are justified.

How was the Gospel preached to Abraham? This was done in a number of ways. In Gal.3:16 by the seed who is Christ and through his sacrificial act on mount Moriah.

In Gal. 3:16 Paul mentions a singular seed, the Messiah that would come through his lineage.

But Abraham had two sons, Isaac by Rebecca, and Ishmael by Hagar, along with numerous descendants by Keturah. So this had to be a certain line, which is through Isaac. God says in Gen. 17:19-20 “I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him.” Gen. 21:10 Sarah said to Abraham, “Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely with Isaac.”V.12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not let it be displeasing in your sight because of the lad or because of your bondwoman. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed shall be called.”

It is later in Gen. 22:2 when Isaac is grown up that God said to Abraham, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you. ” Its not that Abraham had only one son, but there could only be one that could be taken to Moriah and be sacrificed, the seed of the promise.

When they get there Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” Abraham builds an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. Abraham takes the knife to slay his son. But the Angel of the LORD calls to him from heaven stopping him. Saying “for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” Then Abraham sees a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham called the name of the place, THE-LORD-WILL-PROVIDE; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of The LORD it shall be provided.” Then the Angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD (Yahweh), because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son.”

The Hebrew is clear it means God will provide himself as the lamb, and it was on this very mount that Abraham held back from sacrificing his only son that God the Father almost 2,000 years ago did not.

The bible makes it clear that it was the purpose of Christ to come into the world was to die for sins. John introduces Jesus into his public ministry as the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. The lambs were slain for sin in Judaism.

Isa.7:14: “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name, (Immanuel) God with us.” The sign would be that a child would be conceived without any man. Isa.9:6 tells us “a child would be born ,” this refers to his birth and His humanity, the seed of a woman of Gen.3:15. It also says, “a son will be given”; this refers to His nature as the Son in his pre-existence. He is sent from heaven as the Son by the Father and comes the way of all humanity, being born through a woman. So he was fully human and fully God.

Mark 1:1-3 (also Lk..3) The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the Prophets: “Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.” 

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.” (also Lk.7:27) This portion is quoted from Malachi 3 however the next verse in Malachi says “And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple, Even the messenger of the covenant.”

Jesus came to the temple when he was 12 when his ministry began. He came and chased the money changers out in the beginning of his ministry (Jn.2:14) and at the end (Mt.21:12). He continued to teach in the temple throughout his ministry, the last time Jesus visits the temple is when he died and after he died He went in to rip the veil that separated the holy place from the holy of Holies.

Malachi speaks of two messengers. One that will prepare the way for the Lord, who is John the Baptizer described in Isa.40:3-4 as “The voice crying out in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” Isaiah adds to Malachi 'Prepare the way of the LORD by saying, God will visit them, (Isa.7:14). Immanuel, (Mt. 1:23) God with us, v.25 tells us it is Jesus. Luke Chapter 3 quotes Isaiah, attributing it to John the Baptizer as the voice in the wilderness. There is another messenger in the 2nd half of Malachi, it is the same being who has been God’s ambassador on earth who made covenant with Israel in the Old Testament. He becomes the new Testament covenant maker. How? By becoming man and dying for our sins. (Isa.53 describes this event) The Lord Himself (Jesus/ Yahweh) is the messenger of the old covenant who came to His own temple. This is part of the mystery of the gospel. The mystery of Godliness, God was manifested in the flesh (1 Tim.3:16).

There is a scripture that is often overlooked that compliments Isa.53 it is Isa.63:7-8 God explains to us that he/God would become a man, “So he became their Savior. In all their affliction He was afflicted; and the Angel (messenger) of his presence saved them.” The same angel/messenger that appeared to Moses in the burning bush and saved Israel out of Egypt became a man in the NT. When was God afflicted? Isa.53: 4 “Surely He has borne our grief and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. V.7 says “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; he was led as a lamb to the slaughter.” In this Jesus fulfilled John the Baptists introduction as “the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world”V.10-12 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; he has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, he shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.11He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” Oswald Chambers in My Utmost for His Highest “Beware of the pleasant view of the Fatherhood of God--God is so kind and loving that of course He will forgive us. That sentiment has no place whatever in the New Testament. The only ground on which God can forgive us is the tremendous tragedy of the Cross of Christ. To put forgiveness on any other ground is unconscious blasphemy. God can forgive sin and reinstate us in His favor [only] through the Cross of Christ, and in no other way.”

and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” This is the reason He became a human to give His body as a sacrifice, since God is Spirit, He cannot die. Heb. 2:14 “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil”

1 Cor. 1:21 “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.” This again relates to the mystery of the gospel now made known. They preached a crucified man.The cross was symbol of shame to the Romans but glory to the Christians. No religion has ever recognized the cross. It makes no sense to the natural man that one could suffer in the place of another, take their deserved penalty and out of mercy give them His life of freedom and his riches for doing nothing on their own.

The gospel was to be preached it began with Jesus and it is about Jesus. Mark 1:14-15 “Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”Paul said Christ must die. Acts 17:2-3 “Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.” Acts 18:28 “for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.

How did Paul do this, what did he concentrate on? Not only the prophecies of his coming, his life and miracles but that he would die and be raised again, the very essence of the Gospel.Jesus continued to tell the disciples ahead of time he would die. Jn.10:18: Jesus said “no one takes my life from me, but I lay it down of myself.” When Jesus said He is the way he meant through the cross, by his sacrifice on it. When he said he was the truth he meant not only the words he said: but that he came to die for us because we are sinners. Again, it speaks of the cross. When He said He was the life, he meant apart from Him and what He accomplished on the cross we have no hope. This is why inJn.14:6: Jesus said “No one comes to the Father except through Me.” It was through the cross.

Isa.53:10: “Yet it pleased God to bruise Him.” In Acts 20:28 writes the Church of Godwas purchased with His own blood.” Rev.1:5 speaking of Christ “To him who loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood.” Eph.5:2: “Christ (the God/man) also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma. Heb.2:17: “that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” The Bible says this was all ordained in the scriptures In Gethsamane Jesus asked if there be any other way. The Father showed him there was not as he did the fathers will.At his arrest Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. “Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? “How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?” In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me. “But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled. (Matt 26:52-56) 

On the Emmaus Rd. after He rose from the dead He met some disciples and started to teach them the scriptures, the conversation ends up where “ He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, “and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem (Luke 24:45-47).

Jesus spoke to the people (specifically the religious teachers ) saying “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. (John 5:39) These would be the scriptures that spoke of his coming and His going, His birth, death and RESURRECTION.

Acts 2:30-33 “Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, “he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. “This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. “Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.

Rom. 1:1-4 “and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.”

Acts 2:22-24 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know--“Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; “whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.” Though they did this they were not left guiltless even though God determined that Christ should die. The LEADERS are held guilty (not all the people) for they knew what the messiah would act like, they had greater knowledge than the people did.

This wisdom which had been “hidden in a mystery” from people until a certain time, was revealed by the gospel. They made known the divine wisdom which HAD BEEN hidden from the minds of all people both Jew and gentile until the preaching of it was delivered by the apostles The mystery of the gospel pertains to the person it is centered on, God becoming one of his creatures, a man

1 Cor. 2:7-8 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Which rulers? Pilate-- the Roman government and the Sanhedrin and Pharisees (and possibly principalities and powers). If they had known the ways of God and the scripture they would not have had him crucified. (Col.2:15 tells us how he humiliated them all by his death) notice it says it was ordained from ages past but hidden. Christ was appointed from the beginning to be revealed in the fullness of time born under the law to a virgin. This Gospel was announced by the prophets, such as Abraham , although he did not fully know what he spoke of when he was to sacrifice his son and God gave him a Ram instead. He prophesied God will provide himself as the sacrifice. It was prefigured by the law, as in the Passover lamb yet the Jewish rulers, scribes, priests and Pharisees, did not have understanding of it. Matt 13:35 “I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.” But they needed to have faith and hear what Jesus said from the heart.

The cross stands as our personal decision between hell and heaven. It is a bridge to God not made with the hands of men. It is able to rescue all that are willing to repent. No matter what race or religion one is we can be brought to the God, the creator of us all (Acts 17:24-30). It is the rallying point of unity for all mankind as it beckons all to come to the one who hung on it. But there is an enemy who hates what it stands for, and blinds the eyes of the people that would look toward it. How? By substitutes! Making it look as foolishness to those who seek other ways. Those who seek knowledge and wisdom, those who work for their acceptance to God as their assurance. “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing but to us who have been saved it is the power of God. It is Christ crucified. The Gospel is the “power of God to salvation” (Romans 1:16).

Jesus cried out to his Father, “Into Your hands I commit My Spirit” and then breathed His last and died. He determined the time to dismiss his own Spirit (You try doing that, it won't happen). No mere man can have control of His Spirit and time of His own death by speaking. Only God has this ability.

Death did not linger, but its moment was chosen by the one who took upon himself all of our punishment and sins and then breathed his last saying, ”It is finished” dismissing His own spirit. When Jesus cried out on the cross “it is finished.” He didn’t say I’m finished, but the debt for sin was accomplished. The justice of God and the love of God had met and was taken care of in the person of Christ. 

In this we find the love and mercy of God toward us. Rom 5:6-10:“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

This is the essence of the good news 1 Cor. 15:3: “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures

Philip was brought by God to meet a Ethiopian in the desert who did not understand what he was reading in a certain passage of Isaiah. The place in the Scripture which he read was this: “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so He opened not His mouth. In His humiliation His justice was taken away, and who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.” Acts 8:32-33 We need to declare it to our generation 

Matt 25:34-35 “Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” It was God’s intention from the beginning to have man live in harmony with his creation and have a relationship with his maker. As Jesus prayed “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. John 17:24

1 Peter 1:18-21 “knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Rev 13:8 tells us “the Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world.” In other words God has a provision for Adams sin before He made Adam. He foreknew all that would take place as he knows the end from the beginning. It did not have him change his mind and scratch his creation to start over but instead He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, Eph 1:4. Those who worship the beast whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, Rev.17:8

Gal 1:6-10 Paul was angered when he had heard the Galatians were practicing parts of the law.

Paul was awe struck that the Galatian church had been removed from “ the grace of Christ, to a different gospel,” by those who came in and pervert the gospel of Christ.” Saying in V.8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.” And he repeats it for those who were hard in understanding. V.9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.’ 

The gospel that saves contains nothing about baptism, good works, church membership, attendance, tithing, sacraments or rituals, diet or our dress the Sabbath or tongues are included. If we add anything to the gospel, we have destroyed it and thus come under Paul's anathema in Galatians 1:8-9! Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin. The gospel that Paul delivered and we stand in is found in 1 Cor.15:1-4 it is centered on Christ dying for our sin and resurrecting. And Paul wrote in Eph.2:8-10 how we receive it. It comes from the heart first, (believe in the heart) and we are able to agree with the mind.

If your faith is placed in anything else for salvation than Christ’s work alone for you- then you have missed the good news.

Paul writes in verse three, For ye died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. In other words, once the mystery was hid in God, but now the believer is hid in God. v.3 gives us the timing of the manifestation of our glory is: When Christ, who is our life, shall be manifested. That will be the Second Coming. The fact is, as the verse continues: then shall ye also with him be manifested in glory. Thus, just as the mystery was glory manifested, so shall we be manifested to the world in glory, meaning in our glorified state when we return with Him. The final goal is that Christ is all, and in all (3:11).

2 Cor. 5:15 “and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.”

The war every Christian finds themselves in is declaring the gospel that was once hid. Eph 6:19-20 Paul states “and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel” Unfortunately today we still hide it from people because we lack boldness.

We receive all God has for us through the death and resurrection of our savior. We meet God our healer Yehovah Rapha through the cross as he heals us from our life of sin. In Rom.16:20 It states “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” The last enemy defeated will be death. It was for this very reason that the Son of God appeared to destroy the devils work. (1 Jn.3:8) that “by his death he might destroy him who had the power of death-that is the devil. There is soon to come a day when Jesus will judge Satan and his whole kingdom will be thrown into the lake of fire never to be heard from again.

Isa. 25:8-9:“He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces; the rebuke of His people he will take away from all the earth; for the LORD has spoken. And it will be said in that day: “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.”

Rev 21:4 echoes this, “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

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Reflections | 17th May 2013

In the Gospel reading Jesus said to Peter: Feed My lambs; Tend My sheep and Feed My sheep. (John 21:15-19) The message of Peter to the Church can be seen in His Epistles. In this post I want to dwell on one statement that Peter made to the Church in his first Epistle. Peter said: Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.

Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you (1 Peter 1:9-10) Peter by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit reminds the Church in this verse about the Grace that has come to them through their faith in Jesus Christ. 

In the book of Acts, Paul referred to the Gospel that he preached as the Gospel of the Grace of God. (Acts 20:24). 

The One and Only gospel | Taken from EscapeToReality

The gospel of grace is the gospel and there is no other. This gospel is built, not on a doctrine or a theology, but on Jesus Christ himself:

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth … From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (Jn 1:14, 16-17)

Whenever you read the word “grace” in the Bible, you can substitute the name “Jesus.” Jesus is grace personified. What does the grace of God look like? It looks like Jesus. What does the grace of God sound like? It sounds like Jesus. How do we know that God is gracious? He gave us Jesus who is full of grace and truth. So when Paul refers to the gospel of grace in Acts 20, he means exactly the same thing as when he and others refer to the gospel of Christ or the gospel of God or the gospel of his Son or the gospel of peace in other places. All of these gospels reveal the One who is called Grace, who was given to us out of the fullness of the Father’s grace, and through whom we have received grace upon grace.

What is the gospel of grace?

Paul summarized the gospel of grace in his letter to the Corinthians:

“Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time… (1 Cor 15:1-6)

What are the four most important bits of the gospel message according to its most prolific preacher? They are that; (i) Christ died for our sins as foretold in the Scriptures, (ii) he was buried, (iii) he was raised as the prophets foretold, and (iv) he appeared in resurrection to many.

The gospel is 100% good news!

On the cross Jesus became our sin offering, taking our punishment and securing our eternal forgiveness. He died so that we might live, he was wounded that we might be healed, and he was cursed so that we might be blessed. Jesus forged a new covenant in his blood, exchanging our sinfulness for his righteousness. His miraculous return from death confirmed that Jesus was God’s Son, just as he said he was. It also showed that the demands of justice had been fully satisfied and that no further payment was necessary. As Derek Prince famously preached in The Divine Exchange, Jesus’ death on the cross was “perfectly perfect and completely complete.” There is nothing more that needs to be done.

Do you believe it?

The gospel is good news whether you believe it or not, but it will only save you if you believe it. As Paul declared to the Corinthians, “by this gospel are you saved.” Again, by which gospel are you saved? By the gospel of God’s grace:

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Eph 2:8-9)

The gospel is not just for sinners

The gospel is no mere message. It is heaven’s cure for the world’s woes. And we can be fully confident that God’s cures are effective! Those who put their faith in his goodness and grace experience salvation power in all its fullness – victory over sin, healing from sickness, freedom from oppression.

“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes…” (Rms 1:16)

The gospel is not just good news for the sinner. It is good news for the sick, the prisoner and the poor. It’s even good news for Christians. Today many sincere Christians are bound up in the dead works of performance-oriented religion. Their joylessness and lack of fruit testifies that they have forgotten the good news of God’s grace.

What are the works of grace?

Someone once asked Jesus, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”

“Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the One he has sent.’” (Jn 6:29)

The greatest thing you can do is believe the good news of God’s grace revealed in the One he has sent. Believe that because of what Jesus has done, you are forgiven, you have been clothed with his righteousness, and you have been adopted into his family. When you say “Yes!” to Jesus, he moves into your life and you become one with him in spirit. On the inside, you now look exactly like Jesus and your status before God is “perfect forever” (Heb 10:14).

But your outside still needs work. Your mind needs to be renewed. Your body may need fixing. Your relationships may need mending. Your neighbors and workmates probably need saving. And God’s plan is to bring heaven to your corner of the world through you.

God has empowered you through his Spirit and the precious promises of his word to fulfill the gospel mandate. We do not need to hunker down and ask God to give us things. We just need to believe that through Christ we already have everything we need to get the job done (Eph 1:3, 2 Pet 1:3).

“Working out your salvation” means discovering who you are in Christ, taking risks for Jesus, and ministering in his power and authority. It means representing Jesus and his cross-wrought victory in areas where sins’ effects are still being felt. When you shine with Jesus-light, darkness flees and the dominion of the king is enlarged. Sin, sickness and poverty are put under his feet when you put them under your feet. We complete the mission the same way we started – by trusting in God’s amazing grace:

“But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” (1 Cor 15:10, NKJV)

Which gospel are you listening to?

Take care that the gospel you are listening to is the gospel of grace. As Paul warned the Galatians, anything which adds to or detracts from the good news of God’s grace, is a distortion or perversion of the true gospel (Gal 1:6-7). In Part 2 of this study, we will look at some of the ways the gospel of grace gets distorted.

Also Read: Grace the Power of the Gospel

Reflections | 15th May 2013

In the first reading Paul warns the believers by saying: For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. (Acts 20:29-30) 

In the book of Galatians, Paul talks about this perverted Gospel. (Galatians 1:6-10)

The turned-around gospel | Taken from: EscapeToReality

The gospel of grace is not always preached in its pure form. The result is that sincere believers get confused about their standing before God. In their confusion, they may even abandon God’s grace for inferior alternatives. It’s not a smart move. If you see someone doing that you really ought to speak out, like Paul did with the Galatians:

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christand are turning to a different gospel — which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.” (Gal 1:6-7)

What does it mean to “pervert the gospel of Christ”? The Greek word for the verb “pervert” can be translated “turn around.” A perverted gospel is a turned-around gospel. It is a gospel which turns the focus away from Jesus onto something else. If the gospel of grace reveals Christ alone, then a perverted gospel is Christ plus something. It’s the somethings that’ll sink you.

Ten ways to set aside grace

The Bible lists many things that can distract you from sincere and pure devotion to Christ. Here are some of them:

1. Human effort (Gal 3:3): think performance-oriented Christianity. “Gotta get busy for Jesus. Gotta work for my salvation. Gotta start producing fruit or he’s going to lop me.” Except that you don’t and he won’t.

2. Traditions (Col 2:8). “That’s just the way we do things around here; if you’re going to be a part of us, you’d better get used to it.” So you’re saying Jesus is the gate into the kingdom, but right behind him is this other gate that you have added.

3. Hollow and deceptive philosophy (Col 2:8), like karma: you do good, you get good. “God won’t judge me, I basically a good person. At least I’m better than that guy.” Indeed, there are good sinners and bad sinners, but they are sinners alike. Your goodness still falls catastrophically short of God’s goodness. What matters is whose righteousness you’re wearing – yours or his?

4. Angel worship (Col 2:18). God told you the name of the angel watching over this church? Cool! Now let’s get back to Jesus.

5. Rules and regulations (Col 2:21-23). Smoking will kill you, but it won’t send you to hell like unbelief does. Working on the Sabbath may wear you out, but Jesus still loves you.

6. Self-denial, abstinence (Col 2:23). God gave us taste buds and appetites to enjoy life! Keep your monkish asceticism away from my chocolate stash!

7. Endless genealogies (1 Ti 1:4). So you think you broke your leg because your grandfather was a mason? But weren’t you adopted into a new family when you believed? Didn’t Christ redeem us from the curse so that we might inherit the blessings of Father Abraham?

8. Myths (1 Ti 1:4). Did Adam have a second wife? Were the Nephilim really angel-spawn? Is this stuff going to be on the test? I think not.

9. Sin consciousness (Heb 10:2,22). God’s grace is greater than your sin. If you are more conscious of your sin than you are of his righteousness, it’s like saying that the payment of Jesus Christ was insufficient. His worth is greater than your unworthiness!

10. The 10 Commandments, a.k.a. the ministry that brought death (2 Cor 3:7). God hid these inside the ark under the blood-stained mercy seat and now you want to hang them on the wall? In the Sunday School?!

What’s wrong with all these things? Very simply, they diminish your faith in Christ. The more you trust in your own works, for example, the less trust you’ll place in His finished work. Trusting in your works is like filling your life preserver with cast iron.

I call these things anchors because they have no life in them. They can’t save you because they are based on “worldly principles rather than Christ” (Col 2:8). We have died to such things (Col 2:20). They have no value for us. “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love” (Gal 5:6).

Also Read: “Destined to Reign” by Joseph Prince

Reflections | 8th May 2013

In the first reading we see Paul preach a powerful sermon to the men in Athens. All the men there heard the sermon with great interest until Paul spoke about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (Acts 17:32) The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is really the key doctrine of Christianity. Paul said: If Christ is not risen, your faith is futile (1 Corinthians 15:17-18)

It is also important to note that the the Death, Burial and Resurrection of Jesus Christ cannot be understood with the natural mind. The Bible says: The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14) In Gospel reading we see how God has ordained spiritual truth to be revealed to men. We read: When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth. (John 16:13)

It is the Holy Spirit that gives Revelation to man. (1 Corinthians 2:11-13) It is my prayer that the Holy Spirit will make the death of Jesus Christ real to you today. Receive the Holy Spirit in the Name of Jesus. When you do, you too like Peter on the day of Pentecost will understand the things of God and speak boldly about the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ to others. (Acts 2:1-39)

Also read: What was the Last Adam's Greater Work?