As I was studying for a sermon I am going to do on our enemy, Satan I came across something interesting. Christ is building His Church, His bride. In II Cor.11:2 she is called a "chasted virgin". In contrast in Revelation 17:1 we find Satan's counterfeit to Christ bride the "great whore". Ephesians 5:26 says " That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word." speaking of the Church. The water refers to the Word of God. Having said that lets go back to Rev. 17:1 where we find the "great whore" and it says "...the great whore that sitteth upon many waters." God calls Satan's counterfeit a whore which would contrast to His Son's bride the "chasted virgin" when we look at this counterfeit religion of Satan's we see that it sits on many waters, where I draw the conclusion that the waters refer to many religious scriptures, a great ecuminecal work.
Just some thoughts that I had concerning those passages. I hope this could be of some help.
Resting in Christ
Justin
Monday, February 9, 2009
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Psalm 1:1 & 2
Vs. 1 The three different verbs that are used in this first verse are all saying the same thing "remaining or abiding". They carry with them the idea of making these sinful actions a lifestyle. God is telling us that we must not have a lifestyle of wickedness in our walk our stance or our seat. It covers all areas of life.
Vs. 2 What we ought to do is to find our pleasure in the Word of God, to the Jew the Law was his direction for life, to live a godly life all the Jew had to do was to follow the Law, salvation was not found in the law though. Now that Christ has fulfilled the Law we must follow after Christ. Christians are not bound to the Law, but we are bound to Christ, bought with a price. We find our delight in Him and we meditate in His word day and night. Why do we do this? 2 Tim 2:15 "Study to show thyself approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth; 2Tim 2:2 "And the things that thou hast heard of me...commit thou to faithful men..." and finally 2Tim3:15-17. Vs. 17 "That the man of God may be perfect , throughly furnished unto all good works." It is for our growth towards Christ likeness!
Vs. 3 The Psalmist goes on to tell the benefits of this. "And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." When your life is planted in God's word, your growth will be steady, pure, and abundant. The principle of water, a type for God's word can be brought out here. When we are planted in His word daily we will bear fruit consistently, the world will quicken us for use by God and our work will prosper because our focus is on heavenly things not earthly things.
Vs. 2 What we ought to do is to find our pleasure in the Word of God, to the Jew the Law was his direction for life, to live a godly life all the Jew had to do was to follow the Law, salvation was not found in the law though. Now that Christ has fulfilled the Law we must follow after Christ. Christians are not bound to the Law, but we are bound to Christ, bought with a price. We find our delight in Him and we meditate in His word day and night. Why do we do this? 2 Tim 2:15 "Study to show thyself approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth; 2Tim 2:2 "And the things that thou hast heard of me...commit thou to faithful men..." and finally 2Tim3:15-17. Vs. 17 "That the man of God may be perfect , throughly furnished unto all good works." It is for our growth towards Christ likeness!
Vs. 3 The Psalmist goes on to tell the benefits of this. "And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." When your life is planted in God's word, your growth will be steady, pure, and abundant. The principle of water, a type for God's word can be brought out here. When we are planted in His word daily we will bear fruit consistently, the world will quicken us for use by God and our work will prosper because our focus is on heavenly things not earthly things.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Discussion of Ephesians
I would like to have an open dicussion on the book of Ephesians. A chapter by chapter, verse by verse walkthrough of what God was saying through Paul. We will look at it's grammatical and historical context and try to dive into it head long for a fruit growing experience.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Stand Up
Well once again I see that online there is apparently no one in the blogging realm that holds to Dispensationalism. I would make the assumption that it is the Covenant led seminaries that have tarnished the minds of the unwitting bible college student. I say this with the experience of graduating from a bible college myself, we tend to think that we have all the answers to the theological realm. This is a dangerous place because when you decide to go to a seminary, unless you have spent the majority of your free time reading from dispensationally minded authors ie, those on stempublishing or from withchrist.org, you get swallowed up in covenant theology. The typical thought is that dispensationalism started with J.N.Darby C.H. Mackintosh, but as a dispensationalist, I believe that you can trace God's distinct dispensations throughout the Bible. I encourage any and every Dispensationalist to stand up and be heard.
P.S. I know that this was a little quickly thrown together, but for lack of time and for necessity it will stay this way.
Resting in Christ
P.S. I know that this was a little quickly thrown together, but for lack of time and for necessity it will stay this way.
Resting in Christ
How separate are we supposed to be?
This is a post that is just as much for me as it is for anyone that wants to read it. I have always thought about separation of the Christian from the World. Some facts that are to be taken into account in thinking about separation are:
I. We are new creatures. 2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 4:24; Col 3:10
II. Our works will be judged. Rom. 14:10; 2 Cor. 5:10
In light of these facts we must take into account our days on this earth and how we spend them. I choose to separate myself from certain things of this world so that I might be a more able minister of the gospel. When you get tangled up in the world your focus on God becomes dim and your purpose becomes unclear. We minister to people not so that they can live a more comfortable life on earth, but so that they may spend eternity with God. Being a new creature we are destined for heaven and no longer destined for Hell.
I realize that this is a topic often discussed in may realms of Christianity, but there is never any true headway made. Just as John the Baptist said of Christ “He must increase, but I must decrease” John 3:30 and the center of that mindset is to glorify God. Also we must set our affections on things above, not on things on the earth (Col. 3:2).
I place the challenge out there for anyone to discuss.
Resting in Christ
I. We are new creatures. 2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 4:24; Col 3:10
II. Our works will be judged. Rom. 14:10; 2 Cor. 5:10
In light of these facts we must take into account our days on this earth and how we spend them. I choose to separate myself from certain things of this world so that I might be a more able minister of the gospel. When you get tangled up in the world your focus on God becomes dim and your purpose becomes unclear. We minister to people not so that they can live a more comfortable life on earth, but so that they may spend eternity with God. Being a new creature we are destined for heaven and no longer destined for Hell.
I realize that this is a topic often discussed in may realms of Christianity, but there is never any true headway made. Just as John the Baptist said of Christ “He must increase, but I must decrease” John 3:30 and the center of that mindset is to glorify God. Also we must set our affections on things above, not on things on the earth (Col. 3:2).
I place the challenge out there for anyone to discuss.
Resting in Christ
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
God's provision
Well the Lord has answered our prayers in ways we didn't even think to ask. I know that the move all the way across the country will be difficult. I will miss being with my family and friends tremendously, but I know that the Lord has called us to this work.
Resting in Christ
Resting in Christ
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Continued from last post
This is a clear picture of what our lives here on this earth should consist of while we wait on the glorious appearing of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Titus 2:12-14 show that I should be working for God's glory to abstain from the world. In verse 14 I should be zealous for good works. Our works do not count towards our salvation, but are expected after our salvation as part of our sanctification. Paul tells Titus to speak these things in exhortation and in rebuke, to encourage people to do them and to correct them if they are not. The chapter as a whole consist of what the character of men and women in Christ should be like, the old and the young. Young men are to show a pattern of good works in your life.
In Titus 3 right after Paul exhorted Titus to be zealous for good works he tells him to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates ... in order to be ready to every good work. (Our government today is not worse then what Paul was facing) in verses 4 & 5 it is made very clear that the works that we are to be zealous in are not of any use towards salvation, but salvation is by His mercy and Holy Spirit. I understand also in Ephesians 2:8-9 that it is by grace through faith we are saved... . Our justification is by His grace, not our works vs. 7, keeping in mind why we are zealous for good works and how marvelous a salvation we have, because we will be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life! Paul goes as far to say that we need to affirm constantly these things "that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works" we must form a lifestyle of good works, not just on occasion but constantly.
Well, having looked at this exhortation to a new pastor Paul makes clear the side of Christianity that is so misunderstood today, WORK! We must all be working till Christ return (Titus 2:13).
Titus 2:12-14 show that I should be working for God's glory to abstain from the world. In verse 14 I should be zealous for good works. Our works do not count towards our salvation, but are expected after our salvation as part of our sanctification. Paul tells Titus to speak these things in exhortation and in rebuke, to encourage people to do them and to correct them if they are not. The chapter as a whole consist of what the character of men and women in Christ should be like, the old and the young. Young men are to show a pattern of good works in your life.
In Titus 3 right after Paul exhorted Titus to be zealous for good works he tells him to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates ... in order to be ready to every good work. (Our government today is not worse then what Paul was facing) in verses 4 & 5 it is made very clear that the works that we are to be zealous in are not of any use towards salvation, but salvation is by His mercy and Holy Spirit. I understand also in Ephesians 2:8-9 that it is by grace through faith we are saved... . Our justification is by His grace, not our works vs. 7, keeping in mind why we are zealous for good works and how marvelous a salvation we have, because we will be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life! Paul goes as far to say that we need to affirm constantly these things "that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works" we must form a lifestyle of good works, not just on occasion but constantly.
Well, having looked at this exhortation to a new pastor Paul makes clear the side of Christianity that is so misunderstood today, WORK! We must all be working till Christ return (Titus 2:13).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)