​John 7:38 ESV / 22 helpful votes Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”
Jeremiah 2:13 ESV / 15 helpful votes For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.
John 4:10 ESV / 14 helpful votes Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”
John 7:38-39 ESV / 13 helpful votes Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
John 4:14 ESV / 10 helpful votes But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Ezekiel 36:25 ESV / 10 helpful votes I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.
Isaiah 58:11 ESV / 10 helpful votes And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
John 7:37-39 ESV / 9 helpful votes On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Ezekiel 47:1-12 ESV / 9 helpful votes Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. Then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east; and behold, the water was trickling out on the south side. Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was waist-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through. ...
1 Timothy 2:1-15 ESV / 8 helpful votes First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, ...
Ephesians 5:26 ESV / 8 helpful votes That he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
John 7:37-38 ESV / 8 helpful votes On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”
John 5:24 ESV / 8 helpful votes Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
Ruth 1:1-22 ESV / 8 helpful votes In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons. The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They lived there about ten years, and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband. ...
Colossians 1:1-29 ESV / 7 helpful votes Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, ...
Ezekiel 47:9 ESV / 7 helpful votes And wherever the river goes, every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish. For this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes.
Isaiah 12:3 ESV / 7 helpful votes With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
Revelation 21:6 ESV / 6 helpful votes And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.
1 John 2:1-29 ESV / 6 helpful votes My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: ...
John 7:37 ESV / 6 helpful votes On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.
Revelation 22:1-21 ESV / 5 helpful votes Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. ...
2 Thessalonians 1:1-12 ESV / 4 helpful votes Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— ...
Ephesians 1:13-14 ESV / 4 helpful votes In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
Romans 5:8 ESV / 4 helpful votes But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Acts 2:38 ESV / 4 helpful votes And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
John 3:16 ESV / 4 helpful votes “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:1-36 ESV / 4 helpful votes Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. ...
Ezekiel 47:1 ESV / 4 helpful votes Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar.
Ezekiel 47:1-23 ESV / 4 helpful votes Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. Then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east; and behold, the water was trickling out on the south side. Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was waist-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through. ...
Isaiah 55:1 ESV / 4 helpful votes “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Isaiah 43:2 ESV / 4 helpful votes When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.
Isaiah 35:6 ESV / 4 helpful votes Then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert;
Numbers 20:11 ESV / 4 helpful votes And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock.
Exodus 17:6 ESV / 4 helpful votes Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel.
Revelation 22:17 ESV / 3 helpful votes The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.
Revelation 17:1 ESV / 3 helpful votes Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters,
1 John 1:9 ESV / 3 helpful votes If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1 Peter 2:1-25 ESV / 3 helpful votes So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ...
Colossians 2:12 ESV / 3 helpful votes Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.
Ephesians 2:8 ESV / 3 helpful votes For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV / 3 helpful votes For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Romans 6:4 ESV / 3 helpful votes We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
Joel 3:18 ESV / 3 helpful votes “And in that day the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the streambeds of Judah shall flow with water; and a fountain shall come forth from the house of the Lordand water the Valley of Shittim.
Isaiah 44:3 ESV / 3 helpful votes For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.
Isaiah 41:17 ESV / 3 helpful votes When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord will answer them; I the God of Israel will not forsake them.
Revelation 21:1 ESV / 2 helpful votes Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
Revelation 17:15 ESV / 2 helpful votes And the angel said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages.
1 John 5:12 ESV / 2 helpful votes Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Ephesians 5:18 ESV / 2 helpful votes And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
Ephesians 4:30 ESV / 2 helpful votes And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV / 2 helpful votes And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:1-31 ESV / 2 helpful votes Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; ...
1 Corinthians 2:1-16 ESV / 2 helpful votes And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. ...
Acts 2:2 ESV / 2 helpful votes And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.
John 14:26 ESV / 2 helpful votes But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
John 11:25 ESV / 2 helpful votes Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,
John 7:1-53 ESV / 2 helpful votes After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him. Now the Jews' Feast of Booths was at hand. So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” For not even his brothers believed in him. ...
Isaiah 30:20 ESV / 2 helpful votes And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher.
Isaiah 8:7 ESV / 2 helpful votes Therefore, behold, the Lord is bringing up against them the waters of the River, mighty and many, the king of Assyria and all his glory. And it will rise over all its channels and go over all its banks,
Isaiah 4:4 ESV / 2 helpful votes When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning.
Song of Solomon 4:12 ESV / 2 helpful votes A garden locked is my sister, my bride, a spring locked, a fountain sealed.
Proverbs 18:4 ESV / 2 helpful votes The words of a man's mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.
Psalm 23:1-6 ESV / 2 helpful votes A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. ...
1 Chronicles 2:1-55 ESV / 2 helpful votes These are the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. The sons of Judah: Er, Onan and Shelah; these three Bath-shua the Canaanite bore to him. Now Er, Judah's firstborn, was evil in the sight of the Lord, and he put him to death. His daughter-in-law Tamar also bore him Perez and Zerah. Judah had five sons in all. The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul. ...
2 Kings 20:20 ESV / 2 helpful votes The rest of the deeds of Hezekiah and all his might and how he made the pool and the conduit and brought water into the city, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?
2 Kings 1:1-18 ESV / 2 helpful votes After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel. Now Ahaziah fell through the lattice in his upper chamber in Samaria, and lay sick; so he sent messengers, telling them, “Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this sickness.” But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Now therefore thus says the Lord, You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’” So Elijah went. The messengers returned to the king, and he said to them, “Why have you returned?” ...
1 Kings 18:5 ESV / 2 helpful votes And Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the valleys. Perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, and not lose some of the animals.”
2 Samuel 22:17 ESV / 2 helpful votes “He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters.
2 Samuel 1:1-27 ESV / 2 helpful votes After the death of Saul, when David had returned from striking down the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag. And on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul's camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and paid homage. David said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I have escaped from the camp of Israel.” And David said to him, “How did it go? Tell me.” And he answered, “The people fled from the battle, and also many of the people have fallen and are dead, and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead.” Then David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” ...
Joshua 15:19 ESV / 2 helpful votes She said to him, “Give me a blessing. Since you have given me the land of the Negeb, give me also springs of water.” And he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.
Genesis 1:20 ESV / 2 helpful votes And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.”
Genesis 1:9 ESV / 2 helpful votes And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so.
Genesis 1:2 ESV / 2 helpful votes The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan is precipitated by and in answer to a question posed to Jesus by a lawyer. In this case the lawyer would have been an expert in the Mosaic Law and not a court lawyer of today. The lawyer’s question was, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" (Luke 10:25). This question provided Jesus with an opportunity to define what His disciples’ relationship should be to their neighbors. The text says that the scribe (lawyer) had put the question to Jesus as a test, but the text does not indicate that there was hostility in the question. He could have simply been seeking information. The wording of the question does, however, give us some insight into where the scribe’s heart was spiritually. He was making the assumption that man must do something to obtain eternal life. Although this could have been an opportunity for Jesus to discuss salvation issues, He chose a different course and focuses on our relationships and what it means to love.

Jesus answers the question using what is called the Socratic method; i.e., answering a question with a question: “He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?’" (Luke 10:26). By referring to the Law, Jesus is directing the man to an authority they both would accept as truth, the Old Testament. In essence, He is asking the scribe, what does Scripture say about this and how does he interpret it? Jesus thus avoids an argument and puts Himself in the position of evaluating the scribe’s answer instead of the scribe evaluating His answer. This directs the discussion towards Jesus’ intended lesson. The scribe answers Jesus’ question by quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. This is virtually the same answer that Jesus had given to the same question in Matthew 22 and Mark 12.

In verse 28, Jesus affirms that the lawyer’s answer is correct. Jesus’ reply tells the scribe that he has given an orthodox (scripturally proper) answer, but then goes on in verse 28 to tell him that this kind of love requires more than an emotional feeling; it would also include orthodox practice; he would need to “practice what he preached.” The scribe was an educated man and realized that he could not possibly keep that law, nor would he have necessarily wanted to. There would always be people in his life that he could not love. Thus, he tries to limit the law’s command by limiting its parameters and asked the question “who is my neighbor?” The word “neighbor” in the Greek means “someone who is near,” and in the Hebrew it means “someone that you have an association with.” This interprets the word in a limited sense, referring to a fellow Jew and would have excluded Samaritans, Romans, and other foreigners. Jesus then gives the parable of the Good Samaritan to correct the false understanding that the scribe had of who his neighbor is, and what his duty is to his neighbor.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan tells the story of a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho, and while on the way he is robbed of everything he had, including his clothing, and is beaten to within an inch of his life. That road was treacherously winding and was a favorite hideout of robbers and thieves. The next character Jesus introduces into His story is a priest. He spends no time describing the priest and only tells of how he showed no love or compassion for the man by failing to help him and passing on the other side of the road so as not to get involved. If there was anyone who would have known God’s law of love, it would have been the priest. By nature of his position, he was to be a person of compassion, desiring to help others. Unfortunately, “love” was not a word for him that required action on the behalf of someone else. The next person to pass by in the Parable of the Good Samaritan is a Levite, and he does exactly what the priest did: he passes by without showing any compassion. Again, he would have known the law, but he also failed to show the injured man compassion.

The next person to come by is the Samaritan, the one least likely to have shown compassion for the man. Samaritans were considered a low class of people by the Jews since they had intermarried with non-Jews and did not keep all the law. Therefore, Jews would have nothing to do with them. We do not know if the injured man was a Jew or Gentile, but it made no difference to the Samaritan; he did not consider the man’s race or religion. The “Good Samaritan” saw only a person in dire need of assistance, and assist him he did, above and beyond the minimum required. He dresses the man’s wounds with wine (to disinfect) and oil (to sooth the pain). He puts the man on his animal and takes him to an inn for a time of healing and pays the innkeeper with his own money. He then goes beyond common decency and tells the innkeeper to take good care of the man, and he would pay for any extra expenses on his return trip. The Samaritan saw his neighbor as anyone who was in need.

Because the good man was a Samaritan, Jesus is drawing a strong contrast between those who knew the law and those who actually followed the law in their lifestyle and conduct. Jesus now asks the lawyer if he can apply the lesson to his own life with the question “So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?" (Luke 10:36). Once again, the lawyer’s answer is telling of his personal hardness of heart. He cannot bring himself to say the word “Samaritan”; he refers to the “good man” as “he who showed mercy.” His hate for the Samaritans (his neighbors) was so strong that he couldn’t even refer to them in a proper way. Jesus then tells the lawyer to “go and do likewise,” meaning that he should start living what the law tells him to do.

By ending the encounter in this manner, Jesus is telling us to follow the Samaritan’s example in our own conduct; i.e., we are to show compassion and love for those we encounter in our everyday activities. We are to love others (vs. 27) regardless of their race or religion; the criterion is need. If they need and we have the supply, then we are to give generously and freely, without expectation of return. This is an impossible obligation for the lawyer, and for us. We cannot always keep the law because of our human condition; our heart and desires are mostly of self and selfishness. When left to our own, we do the wrong thing, failing to meet the law. We can hope that the lawyer saw this and came to the realization that there was nothing he could do to justify himself, that he needed a personal savior to atone for his lack of ability to save himself from his sins. Thus, the lessons of the Parable of the Good Samaritan are three-fold: (1) we are to set aside our prejudice and show love and compassion for others. (2) Our neighbor is anyone we encounter; we are all creatures of the creator and we are to love all of mankind as Jesus has taught. (3) Keeping the law in its entirety with the intent to save ourselves is an impossible task; we need a savior, and this is Jesus.

There is another possible way to interpret the Parable of the Good Samaritan, and that is as a metaphor. In this interpretation the injured man is all men in their fallen condition of sin. The robbers are Satan attacking man with the intent of destroying their relationship with God. The lawyer is mankind without the true understanding of God and His Word. The priest is religion in an apostate condition. The Levite is legalism that instills prejudice into the hearts of believers. The Samaritan is Jesus who provides the way to spiritual health. Although this interpretation teaches good lessons, and the parallels between Jesus and the Samaritan are striking, this understanding draws attention to Jesus that does not appear to be intended in the text. Therefore, we must conclude that the teaching of the Parable of the Good Samaritan is simply a lesson on what it means to love one’s neighbor.

Jesus’ declaration that He came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets, not to abolish them, obviously contains two statements in one. There is something Jesus did and something He did not do. At the same time, Jesus emphasized the eternal nature of the Word of God.

Jesus goes out of His way to promote the authority of the Law of God. He did not come to abolish the Law, regardless of what the Pharisees accused Him of. In fact, Jesus continues His statement with a commendation for those who teach the Law accurately and hold it in reverence: “Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:19).

Note the qualities that Jesus attributes to the Word of God, referenced as “the Law and the Prophets”: 1) The Word is everlasting; it will outlast the natural world. 2) The Word was written with intent; it was meant to be fulfilled. 3) The Word possesses plenary authority; even the smallest letter of it is established. 4) The Word is faithful and trustworthy; “everything” it says will be accomplished. No one hearing Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount could doubt His commitment to the Scriptures.

Consider what Jesus did not do in His ministry. In Matthew 5:17, Jesus says that He did not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets. In other words, Jesus’ purpose was not to abrogate the Word, dissolve it, or render it invalid. The Prophets will be fulfilled; the Law will continue to accomplish the purpose for which it was given (see Isaiah 55:10–11).

Next, consider what Jesus did do. Jesus says that He came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets. In other words, Jesus’ purpose was to establish the Word, to embody it, and to fully accomplish all that was written. “Christ is the culmination of the law” (Romans 10:4). The predictions of the Prophets concerning the Messiah would be realized in Jesus; the holy standard of the Law would be perfectly upheld by Christ, the strict requirements personally obeyed, and the ceremonial observances finally and fully satisfied.

Jesus Christ fulfilled the Prophets in that, in His first coming alone, He fulfilled hundreds of prophecies concerning Himself (e.g., Matthew 1:22; 13:35; John 19:36; Luke 24:44). Jesus Christ fulfilled the Law in at least two ways: as a teacher and as a doer. He taught people to obey the Law (Matthew 22:35–40; Mark 1:44), and He obeyed the Law Himself (John 8:46; 1 Peter 2:22). In living a perfect life, Jesus fulfilled the moral laws; in His sacrificial death, Jesus fulfilled the ceremonial laws. Christ came not to destroy the old religious system but to build upon it; He came to finish the Old Covenant and establish the New.

Jesus came not to destroy the Law and the Prophets but to fulfill them. In fact, the ceremonies, sacrifices, and other elements of the Old Covenant were “only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves” (Hebrews 10:1). The tabernacle and temple were “holy places made with hands,” but they were never meant to be permanent; they were but “copies of the true things” (Hebrews 9:24, ESV). The Law had a built-in expiration date, being filled as it was with “external regulations applying until the time of the new order” (Hebrews 9:10).

In His fulfillment of the Law and Prophets, Jesus obtained our eternal salvation. No more were priests required to offer sacrifices and enter the holy place (Hebrews 10:8–14). Jesus has done that for us, once and for all. By grace through faith, we are made right with God: “He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:14).

There are some who argue that, since Jesus did not “abolish” the Law, then the Law is still in effect—and still binding on New Testament Christians. But Paul is clear that the believer in Christ is no longer under the Law: “We were held in custody under the Law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the Law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian” (Galatians 3:23–25, BSB). We are not under the Mosaic Law but under “the law of Christ” (see Galatians 6:2).

If the Law is still binding on us today, then it has not yet accomplished its purpose—it has not yet been fulfilled. If the Law, as a legal system, is still binding on us today, then Jesus was wrong in claiming to fulfill it and His sacrifice on the cross was insufficient to save. Thank God, Jesus fulfilled the whole Law and now grants us His righteousness as a free gift. “Know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified” (Galatians 2:16).

n Romans 11 Paul makes a compelling observation—an affirmation he refers to as a mystery—that a partial hardening has happened until “the fullness of the Gentiles has come in” (Romans 11:25, ESV). The context helps us understand the meaning of the partial hardening and what is the fullness of the Gentiles.

In the first eleven chapters of Romans, Paul catalogs the mercies of God in God’s provision of righteousness through the gospel. First, in Romans 1:1—3:20 Paul considers the universal human need for God’s righteousness, as all are unrighteous and separated from God. Then in Romans 3:21—4:25 Paul lays out how God applied righteousness through faith to all who believe in Jesus, outlining three different and significant types of descendants of Abraham: 1) ethnic Israel (Romans 4:1), 2) believing Gentiles (Romans 4:11), and 3) believing Jews (Romans 4:12). These three sets of descendants of Abraham are especially important for understanding the partial hardening and the fullness of the Gentiles that Paul talks about in Romans 11.

Romans 5—8 discusses the implications of that righteousness applied in freeing believers from the penalty and bondage of sin (Romans 5—7) and assuring them of a present and future of reconciliation and peace with God (Romans 8). At the end of Romans 8 is a powerful affirmation of the believer’s eternal security—God will keep His promises to those who have believed in Jesus Christ, and they will never be separated from the love of Christ (Romans 8:35).

While discussing these mercies of God, Paul seems to anticipate that his readers might wonder why, if God is so faithful to restore those who believe in Jesus, God’s promises of restoration to Israel do not seem to be fulfilled yet. Simply put, if God is faithful, and if His promises to believers are trustworthy, then why is He not keeping His promises to Israel? It is to answer this concern that Paul writes Romans 9—11, as he introduces the ideas of a partial hardening of Israel and the fullness of the Gentiles (Romans 11:25).

In Romans 9 Paul expresses his love for his Jewish brethren (Romans 9:1–5) and recognizes that the covenant promises are to be fulfilled to a specific group of Abraham’s descendants. Paul shows the distinct groups by highlighting God’s choosing of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and affirms that God’s blessing would be for those descendants who believe in the Messiah (Romans 9:33). Salvation would not only be for believing Jews, though, as Gentiles could also call upon the name of the Lord for salvation (Romans 10:12–13). While there are believing Jews and Gentiles, Paul explains that the nation of Israel as a whole has not yet received her Messiah (Romans 10:18—11:10), but they will one day be saved through believing in their Messiah (Romans 11:26).

In the meantime, Paul explains that there is a partial hardening of the nation—that many will refuse the Messiah—until the fullness of the Gentiles occurs. Israel’s hardening will continue until the divinely set number of Gentiles are saved: “Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ” (Romans 11:25, NLT).

Paul recognized that Israel’s failure to accept the Messiah when He came offering the kingdom represented blessing for the Gentiles because, instead of setting up that kingdom on earth at that time, Christ died to pay for the sins of all. In so doing, Christ fulfilled the promise God made to Abraham that in Abraham’s seed all the peoples of the earth will be blessed (Genesis 12:3b). That partial hardening of Israel also represented a shift in focus to the announcement of salvation to the Gentiles. Paul acknowledged himself as an apostle to the Gentiles (Romans 11:13) and sought that many Gentiles would come to know Christ so those promises could be fulfilled and then the Jewish people might return to their Messiah (Romans 11:14–15). Paul alluded to this in 2 Timothy 4:17 when he expressed gratitude for God’s sustaining him so that Paul might fulfill his ministry and that all the Gentiles might hear.

Even though God’s promises to save the nation of Israel are not presently being fulfilled, Paul recognizes that God will keep those promises after the fullness of the Gentiles. Paul seems to be building on the foundation of Daniel 9, in which is revealed a 490-year prophetic timeline after which God will accomplish His covenant blessings for Israel. After the first 483 years of the timeline, the Messiah was cut off (Daniel 9:26a), signaling a shift in the focus away from Israel as Gentiles (Rome) would dominate, and there would be wars and desolation. But one day in the future, the ruler who would be known as the Antichrist would make a seven-year agreement with Israel. That last seven years of the timeline would begin to return the focus back to Israel and would conclude the times of the Gentiles of which Jesus spoke in Luke 21:24.

The fullness of the Gentiles in Romans 11:25 reminds us of God’s global focus (with the universal proclamation of the gospel of salvation) and chronology (with the times of the Gentiles not yet complete). One day, the fullness of the Gentiles will be complete, and God will deliver the nation of Israel. Anyone who might have doubts about God’s faithfulness in keeping His promises can consider these passages as important reminders that God has a detailed plan that He is fulfilling patiently and carefully.
​
Life is hard. Disease, death, and difficulties abound on this side of eternity. Sin has marred what God originally created perfect. While difficulties are rarely enjoyable when we experience them, these hardships are only a “momentary, light affliction” (2 Corinthians 4:17, NASB) for the Christian. Our difficult circumstances have the ability to produce good fruit in our lives and to remind us of what matters eternally.

The context of Paul’s statement is important: “We do not lose heart, but though our outer person is decaying, yet our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16–18, NASB).

Difficulties abound in life: with relationships, jobs, health, and day-to-day activities. Christians are not exempt from these difficulties; in fact, they may experience even more than their fair share: earlier in the same passage, Paul described some of the troubles he and others faced as “jars of clay” in this world (2 Corinthians 4:7). When difficulties arise, they might seem monumental, and they have the ability to incapacitate us. However, believers have hope that even the worst suffering experienced on earth is only “light and momentary troubles” compared to the glories of eternity in heaven. Life here on earth is but a vapor (James 4:14), but our eternal life in glory, yet unseen, will make the affliction worth it all. In fact, the troubles we have today are achieving for us a lasting benefit: “They produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” (2 Corinthians 4:17, NLT).

The Holy Spirit living within believers is the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead, and He assures us that we, too, will be raised from the dead (2 Corinthians 4:14). This truth allows us to keep an eternal perspective when we go through hardships.

In Romans 5:3–5, Paul reminds us that we can “glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” When we trust God through our suffering, we allow Him to shape our faith and character. Even when it does not fully make sense to us why we are going through difficulties, believers have hope that their suffering is not purposeless.

Through our momentary, light affliction, we can choose to draw near to God and even thrive in the hardship, filled with the hope that our troubles grow our character and faith. We remember that this world is not our final home. There’s something better coming, “surpassing all comparisons, a transcendent splendor and an endless blessedness!” (2 Corinthians 4:17, AMP).

When we go through hard times, let us “fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18). Let us choose to walk by faith and draw near to God, who is “our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).

What is the Meaning of Hebrew word Ruach?Ruach (pronounced roo-akh) is the Hebrew word for spirit, breath, or wind. When spoken, the word engages one’s breath and lungs. The first mention of Ruach in the Bible is in the very first chapter of Genesis – Genesis 1:2 to be exact:
And the earth was a formless and desolate emptiness, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit (Ruach) of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.
The Bible translates the word Ruach into all of the aforementioned English words. Which means that when we read our Bible, we may not always realize that in Hebrew these verses had something very important in common.
Ruach is described as a wind (for example, in Numbers 11:31 and Exodus 10:13), but also as spirit (in Judges 6:34, 1 Samuel 16:14 and 1 Kings 18:12). And then, in Job it is translated as breath (12:10).
Ruach HaKodesh and the Ruach ElohimBut the meaning that we should pay closest attention to is spirit. Because did you know that Ruach HaKodesh, which appears already in the Old Testament, is the Hebrew word for the Holy Spirit? For example, in Psalm 51:11 when David prayed:
“Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take your Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) from me.”
Similarly, Ruach Elohim means the Spirit of God. In many references in the Old Testament, the Ruach Elohim comes upon an individual and allows him to speak for the Lord. In Genesis 41:38, Pharaoh said of Joseph,
“Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Ruach Elohim?”
Ruach Elohim MeaningThe Ruach Elohim was very present when the Temple of the Lord was built. The Lord filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God, along with the ability, craftsmanship and skill to execute the creative designs. The Lord inspired all the artistry, according to what He had in mind for His holy Temple. (Exodus 31:3, Exodus 35:31)
“The Spirit of the Lord even came upon Balaam when he attempted to curse the people of Israel. Instead, he blessed them.” (Number 24:2)
Are Ruach Elohim and the Holy Spirit One and the Same?In the Old Testament, we see that the Ruach Elohim, or the Ruach HaKodesh, quickens, fills, comes upon and comforts. Which is also what we know that the Holy Spirit does in the New Testament.
​
This gives a case for Trinitarian theology in the Old Testament. It is there all along, we can see that the work of the Father is individual from the work of the Ruach. It is also uniquely separate from the Word – which we know personified in Jesus. (John 1:1-18)


In relationship to living creatures, those with a nephesh chaya—a living spirit, it is the Ruach that gives life. Ruach, being intangible but present, also signifies consciousness and creative vitality that is unique to human creation. We bear the image of God, which separates us from the animal kingdom.
Ruach in the Old Testament

In Ezekiel 37, Ruach gave life to the dry bones that Ezekiel saw in his vision. Once the words are spoken over them, they come to life and grow muscle, tendons, ligaments and flesh. In this case, it is the Ruach which gives life, where previously there was none.
Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of the dry bones was a visual allegory for the rebirth of the nation of Israel. It would come to be physically first (dry bones), and then later, the nation will come to faith!



​

The Work of the Holy Spiri


It is undeniable that it is the work of the Holy Spirit, or Ruach in Hebrew, when a person comes to faith in Jesus the Messiah. The most radical example that comes to mind is the supernatural encounter of the Apostle Paul.
After seeing a vision of Jesus on Damascus road, Paul is temporarily blinded. Ananias lays hands on him, the Ruach HaKodesh, the Holy Spirit, falls on Paul. At that encounter, the scales fall from his eyes and his sight is restored. (Acts 9:17-18)
How the Ruach MovesThe work of the Ruach – the Spirit, does two important things. He restores sight by waking up the human spirit through confession. The Spirit removes the obstacles of being “dead in one’s trespasses.”
But at the same time, He functions as a light Himself. He illuminates us to the truth and reality of life with God in Christ. The Ruach (Spirit), in the words of Sinclair Ferguson, “does not add information about Jesus, He simply opens our eyes to see who He really is.”
The Ruach quickens us to the veracity of Scriptures, which are God breathed. The Spirit verifies them and makes our hearts respond to the truth therein. The role of the Word and Spirit are intimately entwined. The word is breathed by God. Psalm 33:6 says, by the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath (ruach) of his mouth all their host.
The Ruach Our HelperLike a flashlight shone in the darkness, the Spirit of God lights our path. And much like raccoons and mice like to come out at night, who can deny that there are also “critters” in our hearts. Perhaps pride, vanity, being overly concerned with the matters of this world, numbness. The Ruach shines a light on all our undesirables and ministers to our need with gentle correction and care.
Ferguson continues that the Ruach (Spirit) “enlightens our minds to enable to us know, see, grasp and apply the will and purposes of God.” The Ruach reminds us of Jesus’ words in the gospels, leads us to truth in the epistles and shows us the things to come in Revelation.
He is our comforter, our counselor and our helper. You may have been to therapy or had a deep conversation with a friend, but another person will never give you a complete picture of your situation. They don’t have the same experiences or memories or thoughts. And likewise, any compassion we may have for others will be limited by us simply not having walked a mile in their shoes.
The Ruach Comforts in Need19th Century preacher Charles Spurgeon writes about the power and efficacy of the Ruach’s comfort in times of need and sorrow:
“Sometimes, when we go and visit people we mistake their disease, we want to comfort them on this point. Whereas they do not require any such comfort at all, and they would be better left alone than spoiled by such unwise comforters as we are. 


“But oh, how wise the Holy Spirit is! He takes the soul, lays it on the table, and dissects it in a moment; He finds out the root of the matter, He sees where the complaint is. And then He applies the knife where something is required to be taken away or puts a plaster where the sore is. He never mistakes. Oh, how wise, the blessed Holy Ghost! From every comforter I turn and leave them all, for thou art He who alone givest the wisest consolation.”
Symbols of the Holy SpiritWe can trust that the Ruach knows our whole story, our beginning middle and end. He will always give us guidance and comfort when we lack. And He burdens us in the care of others in their need when the time is right.
There are many symbols of the Holy Spirit throughout the Hebrew Bible. But perhaps the most recognizable one is that of a dove in the New Testament.
Luke 3:22 says that the Spirit descended like a dove upon Jesus. Meanwhile, in the Old Testament, the dove was used to search for habitable land and a symbol of peace. Today doves still hold their peaceful connotation, and they also signify cleanliness and purity.
Another well recognized symbol is fire. What’s interesting is that fire is air (or breath – ruach) caught up with heat. Acts 2 gives us a picture of a rushing wind and tongues of fire.
A powerful image of the Holy Spirit appears in Isaiah 59:19. The prophet writes that the Lord arrives “… like a rushing tide driven by the breath of the Lord”. What an awesome image of God’s power and beauty! This verse reminds me of the way the ocean crashes over rocks at the shore. As the tide rolls in, the waves are unstoppable and have immense power when they hit the rocks.
Ruach – the Living Breath of Our BeingThe Apostle Paul writes in Romans 8:11 an encouragement to the believers in Rome, and to us today:
“If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.”
Now, don’t miss that—Paul is saying that the Spirit who arrives like the unstoppable power of a rushing tide, which resurrected Messiah Jesus from the dead, lives in YOU, today!
It means that if you’re facing an obstacle today, God is able to send his Spirit to you with the power of a “rushing tide”!
God is encouraging us today through His Ruach. He is our comforter, helper, encourager, the breath of life. He brings us a new life in Messiah, and though our outward bodies are wasting away, our inner man, is being renewed each day. It happens through the power of Ruach – God’s breath within us.

​
Why did Jesus come in the Flesh? Was is absolutely necessary for Jesus to come as a man?
It says in John 1:14 The Word became Flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, the glory as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.
We know from the first chapter of John that this is speaking about Jesus. The Word became Flesh (He took on human nature, a human body) and lived here on the earth. Philippians further describes how He emptied Himself and what happened when Jesus took on Flesh.

Philippians 2:5-8 - Let this mind be in you all, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped. But He emptied Himself, taking upon Himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in the form of a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross.

Here, we see the phrase "being in the form of God" to describe Christ. This is not saying that He merely resembled God, but He possessed God's nature and attributes. He is God in the truest sense. Again, this is confirmed in John 1:1 – that Jesus was God and with God in the beginning.

It also says that He emptied Himself and took on the form of a servant in the likeness of man. Christ, while being fully God, voluntarily took on a human body – in that – Jesus became a servant and human. Think about it, He became subject and dependent on parents; He came subject to the Law, Christ became subject to the limitations of a human body. He knew what hunger was. Jesus knew what physical pain was. He knew what it was to have to walk somewhere.
The truth that the Jesus, God, became man is hard to grasp in a sense and can only be accepted by faith.
In theological terms, we say - Jesus comes in the Flesh. The “Word” – “Jesus” became man. He became “incarnate.”

The question is, was it necessary for Christ to be human? Are there reasons why He had to do this? Why did Jesus have to came as a man?



​
Christ Came To Further Reveal God To Humanity

While God revealed Himself to humanity in the Old Testament, the revelation was incomplete. The revelation of God in the OT was often very broad and general. In contrast, Jesus revealed God to humanity in a personal and even intimate way.

If you wish to know what God is like, just look at Christ.

John 1:18 - No one has seen God at any time. The only Son, who is at the Father’s side, has made Him known.

As the Word became flesh and walked the earth, Jesus, through His life, His words and actions explained and revealed the Father to humanity.

He Came To Fulfill The Law Of Moses

Jesus also came to fulfill the Law of Moses as a man. He said. Matthew 5:17-18 - “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish, but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one dot or one mark will pass from the Law until all be fulfilled.
By living a sinless life here upon the earth in a human body, Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the Law in every respect.

That is essential because only a perfect, sinless man could die and pay the price to remove sin.

Jesus Came To Die For The Sins Of The World

The sacrifice of animals could not take away sin. Neither would the death of an ordinary, sinful human being.

The payment had to be made by a human being; still, that person had to be sinless. This person had to live and be tempted as a human. These were all fulfilled when Jesus became Flesh.

Hebrews 4:15 - For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who was in every sense tempted like we are, yet without sin.

He, had to be a human being to die. Hebrews 2:14 - So then, as the children share in Flesh and blood (physical nature/human), He likewise took part in these, so that through death He might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil…

Sin was brought upon us by Adam (a man), with that came the consequences (separation from God). The only way for Christ to qualify as the remedy (make the payment for the sin) was for Him to become a perfect man.

Matthew 20:28 - even as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.

His death on the cross has paid the penalty for our sins. He died in our place so that we do not have to suffer for our sin.

Jesus Christ came into the world to become our Savior. But, He could not do it without becoming human.


He Came To Judge The World Righteously

Jesus will be the One who judges humanity. John 5:22 The Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son… 27 and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.

He came into this world as a Man, lived here among humanity, and died on the cross as a Substitute for men and women. He was rejected and crucified when He came into the world as a Man. Because He is both God and Man, He is ideally qualified to be Judge.


Jesus Came To Sympathize With Believers As The Great High Priest

Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who was in every sense tempted like we are, yet without sin.

Because Jesus lived here upon the earth and experienced the limitations of being a human being, He can sympathize with the problems and concerns that we face. He faced all of these things as a human, but He did so perfectly. He was tempted as we are tempted.

 Jesus Came To Be An Example For Believers

It was necessary for Jesus to come in the Flesh to provide an example for the believer. When a person puts his faith in Christ, he has an example to follow. He lived the perfect life as the ideal man with faith in His Father in dependence upon the Holy Spirit.

1 John 2:6 - Whoever says he remains in Him ought to walk as He walked.

1 Peter 2:21 - For to this you were called, because Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

Christ provides the pattern of how believers should live. As mentioned, Jesus gave us an example of what it means to live in complete dependence on the Holy Spirit. Everything Christ did, everything He said, every miracle, His devotional life, every healing, going to the cross, coming out of the grave, and rising again was an example for us and was accomplished in His dependence upon God in the Holy Spirit.
Christ's example shows our need to be dependent upon the Holy Spirit. Our dependence upon God. Our reliance upon His Word. Our need to abide in Him.


The Word became Flesh and dwelt among us,

​and we saw His glory, the glory as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.

When you touch all these things about Christ and Jesus coming in the Flesh, we see the glory of Jesus. We see the glory of God; we know the love of God. We see the grace and truth of God. We see it all in Jesus. These are some reasons it was necessary that Jesus come in the Flesh. It is why the Word became Flesh.

​
First John 4:12 says, “No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” The same assertion that no one has ever seen God can be found in other parts of Scripture, such as John 1:18. But what does this statement signify, especially in light of Moses, Gideon, and others who seem to have seen God?

Scripture proclaims that no one has seen God because God is a spiritual being, and our eyes are limited to perceiving only physical, material objects—and even that has limits. God is invisible. Just as we cannot see the wind, we cannot see God.

Furthermore, it’s important to distinguish between what is possible and what is reasonable. While anything can happen within the realm of possibilities, is it reasonable to expect created beings to be able to see the Creator of the universe? When we factor in the existence of the spiritual realm, it becomes clearer why the idea of seeing God with our limited human eyes is impossible.

So, the skeptic asks, how can we ever come to know God if we can't see Him? In response, we assert that God took the first step to meet us in the person of Jesus. Therefore, if we seek to know God, we should look at Jesus. John 1:18 states, “No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us” (NLT). The writer of Hebrews also affirms this by stating, “In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe” (Hebrews 1:1–2). Not only did Jesus redeem us from our sins, but He also made God visible (and approachable) to us.

What about passages in the Old Testament that seem to suggest people met God and even wrestled with Him? For example, Exodus 33 says on one hand that Moses couldn’t see God (verse 20) yet also records that “the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.” (verse 11). The expression “face to face” seems to be more of a figure of speech, emphasizing the intimacy between God and Moses. Or it could be that Moses saw a theophany—a visible manifestation of God. Other possible theophanies in the Old Testament include Jacob’s wrestling match (Genesis 32:22–30), Abraham’s conversation with God near Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:1–33), the appearance of an angel to Samson’s parents (Judges 13:1–23), and the angel who spoke to Gideon (Judges 6).

Therefore, while no one has ever beheld God in His essence, He has manifested Himself numerous times in human form and engaged in conversation with His people. These theophanies in the Old Testament foreshadow the Incarnation, where God the Son assumes human flesh.

After John states that no one has ever seen God, he writes, “But if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is made complete in us.” The love Christians demonstrate reflects God’s love. We cannot see God, yet when we exercise love, we know that God is dwelling in us. Christian love serves as tangible evidence of God and the gospel.

Incarnation is a term used by theologians to indicate that Jesus, the Son of God, took on human flesh. This is similar to the hypostatic union. The difference is that the hypostatic union explains how Jesus’ two natures are joined, and the Incarnation more specifically affirms His humanity.

The word incarnation means “the act of being made flesh.” It comes from the Latin version of John 1:14, which in English reads, “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” Because of the near-exclusive use of the Latin Vulgate in the church through the Middle Ages, the Latin term became standard.

Biblical support for Jesus’ humanity is extensive. The Gospels report Jesus’ human needs including sleep (Luke 8:23), food (Matthew 4:2; 21:18), and physical protection (Matthew 2:13-15; John 10:39). Other indications of His humanity are that He perspired (Luke 22:43-44) and bled (John 19:34). Jesus also expressed emotions including joy (John 15:11), sorrow (Matthew 26:37), and anger (Mark 3:5). During His life, Jesus referred to Himself as a man (John 8:40), and after His resurrection His humanity was still recognized (Acts 2:22).

But the purpose of the Incarnation was not to taste food or to feel sorrow. The Son of God came in the flesh in order to be the Savior of mankind. First, it was necessary to be born “under the law” (Galatians 4:4). All of us have failed to fulfill God’s Law. Christ came in the flesh, under the Law, to fulfill the Law on our behalf (Matthew 5:17; Galatians 4:5).

Second, it was necessary for the Savior to shed His blood for the forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22). A blood sacrifice, of course, requires a body of flesh and blood. And this was God’s plan for the Incarnation: “When Christ came into the world, he said: ‘Sacrifice and offering [under the Old Covenant] you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me’” (Hebrews 10:5). Without the Incarnation, Christ could not really die, and the cross is meaningless.

God did an incredible work in sending His only begotten Son into the world and providing us with a salvation we do not deserve. Praise the Lord for that moment in which “the Word became flesh.” We are now redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:19).


As Jesus prepared for His death, He taught His disciples one of the greatest kingdom paradoxes. Using His own life as an example, Jesus told them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces much fruit. The one who loves his life will lose it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (John 12:23–25, CSB).

Jesus compared His death to a grain of wheat falling into the soil and perishing. Only after a kernel dies in the ground can new life sprout from it. Jesus knew that obedience to His Father’s call would cost Him everything. He would soon die on a cross. Yet He also understood that His death would “produce much fruit” by making it possible for multitudes of believers to be born again and receive eternal life (John 11:25–26; 1 John 5:11–12; Romans 5:21; Hebrews 5:9; 9:12).

Then the Lord passed this principle to His disciples: “He who loves his life will lose it.” We cannot “love” our lives and still expect to follow Christ. We cannot serve both God and mammon (Matthew 6:24). If we spend our lives grasping for the things of this world, we will ultimately lose it all. After pursuing all this world has to offer, in the end we will discover that “everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 2:11).

A related principle is this: “The one who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” If we follow Jesus Christ as our role model, we will not love our earthly lives or place greater value on the temporal world than we give to our pursuit of heaven. We will “seek the Kingdom of God above all else” (Matthew 6:33, NLT). Like the apostle Paul, we will say of this mortal existence, “Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:7–8).

The believer willing to lose his life has set his course on a heavenly treasure hunt. Long before the hour of His death, Jesus urged His disciples not to spend their lives pursuing money or acquiring possessions: “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be” (Matthew 6:19–21, NLT).

Matthew shared an expanded version of Christ’s teaching, explaining that “loving our lives” means hanging on to our own selfish, stubborn ways: “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” (Matthew 16:24–26, NLT; see also Luke 9:24–25).

We can’t be true followers of Christ if we attempt to serve Him on our own terms. “Hating our lives” means giving up our own way, setting aside our self-centered existence, and abandoning ourselves to serve the Lord and others. Jesus said, “For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will” (John 6:38, NLT, see also John 5:30). To deny ourselves and take up our cross is what the Christian life is about.

Paul gave us a vivid picture of the attitude we are to have: “Though [Christ Jesus] was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:6–11, NLT). Jesus humbled and emptied Himself to the point of total devotion and a horrible death but, in doing so, was raised to the highest place of honor.

He who loves his life applies to anyone who shrinks back from sacrifice for the cause of Christ. Such a person is concerned with self-preservation. He is careful to maintain security, seeks his own well-being, and would rather deny Christ than face trouble. This one is warned that he will lose the very thing he loves and is most desirous to keep: his own life will be forfeit.

The one who hates his life in this world applies to anyone who is willing to give up absolutely everything in this world, including life itself, for the sake of Jesus Christ. Such a person dedicates himself exclusively to God and His kingdom because he knows that the reward is priceless, beyond all earthly value. He understands that “we must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). This one has the promise of eternal life.

When a person carried a cross in Jesus’ day, no one thought of it as a persistent annoyance or symbolic burden. To a person in the first century, the cross meant one thing and one thing only: death by crucifixion. To carry a cross was to face the most painful and humiliating means of death human beings could develop.

Two thousand years later, Christians view the cross as a cherished symbol of atonement, forgiveness, grace, and love. But in Jesus’ day the cross represented a torturous death. The Romans forced convicted criminals to carry their own crosses to the place of crucifixion (see John 19:17). Bearing a cross meant one was about to die, and that one would face ridicule and disgrace along the way.

Therefore, Jesus’ command to “take up your cross and follow Me” is a call to self-abasement and self-sacrifice. One must be willing to die in order to follow Jesus. Dying to self is an absolute surrender to God.

After Jesus commanded cross-bearing, He said, “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” (Matthew 16:25–26). Although the call to take up our cross is tough, the reward is matchless. Nothing in this world is worth passing up eternal life.

Wherever Jesus went, He drew crowds. Their view of who the Messiah really was—and what He would do—was often distorted. They thought the Christ would immediately usher in the restored kingdom (Luke 19:11). They believed He would free them from the oppressive rule of their Roman occupiers. Some hoped He would continue to provide free lunches for everyone (John 6:26). Jesus’ statement that following Him requires taking up a cross made people think twice about their motivations and level of commitment.

In Luke 9:57–62, three people seemed willing to follow Jesus. When Jesus pressed them, however, their commitment was shown to be half-hearted at best. They failed to count the cost of following Him. None were willing to take up their cross and crucify upon it their own interests.

Commitment to Christ means taking up your cross daily, giving up your hopes, dreams, possessions, and even your very life if need be for the cause of Christ. Only if you willingly take up your cross may you be called His disciple (Luke 14:27). The reward is worth the price. Remember that, as Jesus called His disciples to “take up your cross and follow Me,” He, too, bore a cross. Our Lord led the way.

In 2 Corinthians 11:24–27, Paul shares some of his sufferings up to that point in his faith: “Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.” Despite these and other problems, Paul believed and taught he could persevere because he could do “all things through him who gives me strength.”

Also, the focus in Philippians 4 is what the believer can do through the strength that Christ gives. This is not a promise that Christians will have superpowers or that they will be invincible or immune to life’s challenges. Instead, the promise of Philippians 4:13 is that we will have strength from the Lord to faithfully endure the difficulties that arise in life.

This passage is not about having financial abundance. Some teach a prosperity gospel that says God will bless us financially if we are faithful; in contrast, Paul taught that the believer will endure suffering but can be content in any circumstance, given Christ’s strength. Just as Christ faithfully endured on the cross, His followers can faithfully endure the problems they face. In fact, Philippians 4:11 states, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Paul focused on contentment, not earthly abundance.

Finally, Philippians 4:13 is part of a larger passage that addresses Christ’s ability to meet our needs. Christ can give contentment during times of plenty and of poverty. He can help us do all things through His strength. In Paul’s case, it was the strength to serve as a missionary despite facing intense suffering. In our lives, this same strength is available. Whether we serve in another country or help someone in our own community, Christ’s power can enable us to stand firm on His promises and endure the most difficult of life’s challenges. Paul concludes this passage with these words: “My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (verses 19–20).
​
​In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught His listeners the difference between earthly treasure and heavenly treasure, and He emphasized the importance of the heavenly: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19–21). Whatever we focus on dictates our actions. When we focus on earthly success and wealth, we will expend our energies on earthly matters. However, when we focus on God’s priorities, our actions will reflect different priorities—and our reward in heaven will last forever.

Treasure is anything we value above all else and that which motivates us to action. For some it is money. For others it is power. Still other people strive for fame or attention. There are many things in this world vying for control of our heart. According to Jesus, determining where our treasure is also determines where our heart is. Many people claim to look forward to heaven, but their hearts are really not in it—their hearts are caught up in the cares of this world, because that’s where their treasure lies.

Jesus warned us that earthly currency has an expiration date. While it may satisfy us temporarily, it is unstable and fleeting. The ever-changing faces on magazine covers remind us that the famous are here and gone in a blink. The stock market crash of 1929 taught us that the wealthy can quickly lose it all. Power, prestige, and public approval are limited and can be gone in an instant. Even the Son of God experienced the fickleness of human approval. One day people were trying to make Him king (John 6:15), and the next they were leaving Him in droves (verse 66).

“This world in its present form is passing away” (1 Corinthians 7:31). The moment we take our last breath, earthly treasure won’t matter anymore. Jesus urged us to think beyond that last breath to eternity. When our focus is on eternity—when our treasure is laid up in heaven—our lifestyles reflect that perspective.

We will all give an account of ourselves before God for every action (Romans 14:12) and every idle word (Matthew 12:36). No one is exempt. Excuses are not accepted. God sees and knows every thought we think and holds us accountable for the truth we’ve been given (Romans 1:18–22). We store up “treasure in heaven” when we make choices on earth that benefit God’s kingdom. Jesus said that even offering a cup of cool water to a fellow believer is worthy of eternal reward (Matthew 10:42).

In Luke 16:19–31, Jesus told a story about a rich man and a beggar. The rich man had invested his life in opulence and pleasure. He cared little for anyone or anything but himself. When he died, his riches could not follow him. His life choices had prepared him only for hell, and all the money and prestige he enjoyed on earth counted for nothing. After death, he would have given everything he ever owned for a single drop of water, but his treasure had been invested elsewhere.

It is no sin to be rich, but our passions follow our investments. Wealthy people who consider their riches as belonging to God will use what they have in ways that have eternal significance, protecting their own hearts from the love of money (1 Timothy 6:10). People whose treasure is in heaven cannot be owned by their possessions. They cannot be bought off because nothing on earth is worth the price of their soul. They value the currency of heaven and use their earthly treasure to purchase “heavenly gold,” which will never lose its value. Investing our treasure in material things keeps our hearts anchored to earthly values; however, when we invest in things of eternal value, our hearts remain loyal to the Lord, and we will not be tempted to foolishly attempt to serve both God and money (Luke 16:13).

​
​The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD”



(Luke 4:18–19, NKJV; cf. Isaiah 61:1–2).


The Greek word translated “liberty” in 2 Corinthians 3:17 means “personal freedom from servitude, confinement, or oppression.” Jesus came to set us free spiritually. To the children of God, Christ says, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). When a person receives Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, the Spirit of the Lord takes up residence in that individual (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:13; 2 Corinthians 3:18). Believers are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13–14) and made alive by the Spirit of the Living God (2 Corinthians 3:3, 6).

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty because those who are in Christ—those born of God’s Spirit (John 3:5–6)—are freed from the law of sin and death (Galatians 4:3–7). Paul told the Romans, “And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death” (Romans 8:2, NLT; see also Romans 7:4–5). “We have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit” (Romans 7:6, NLT).

Liberty and freedom are words Paul often used to sum up the experience of salvation in Christ. He said Christians no longer live in bondage as slaves to sin: “Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace” (Romans 6:14, NLT). Paul warned believers not to fall back into slavery to the law: “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law” (Galatians 5:1, NLT).

In Jesus Christ, believers are set free from the guilt, influence, and punishment of sin (Romans 8:1–6). Jesus is “the truth” (John 14:6), and He told His hearers who believed in Him, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32, NLT).

The biblical concept of liberty is quite different from the world’s idea of freedom. Christian liberty is not the worldly freedom to do whatever we want. Such freedom inevitably leads to another kind of slavery—that of serving our own passions and lusts (see 2 Peter 2:19). But where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is the liberty to deny the flesh and our own selfish desires for the purpose of obeying God, pleasing Him, and bringing glory to His name (Romans 6:16–18; 1 Corinthians 7:22–23).

The ultimate liberty is freedom from death through the gift of eternal life in Jesus Christ (John 17:2–3; 1 John 5:11–12). Believers can live free from the fear of death and the sting of death because our Lord Jesus Christ gives us victory over these foes (1 Corinthians 15:53–57).

Before we received the Spirit of the Lord, our lives were characterized by servitude to sin, the law, and death. Now that we are alive in Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit, we have a new life (2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 6:4). We are set free to serve God in the fullest sense of liberation. One game-changing, life-transforming aspect of our spiritual freedom is knowing that this present world is not our real home (Hebrews 11:13; 13:14; Philippians 3:20; 1 Peter 2:11; 1 John 2:15–17). There is liberty where the Spirit of the Lord is because, as God’s children, we live with the future expectation of glory. We have God’s promise of freedom from death and decay in our eternal heavenly home (Romans 8:21).

​

​
​

​
The phrase mount up with wings like eagles 

can be found at the end of Isaiah 40,

in verse 31, 
​

”But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall

mount up with wings like eagles;

they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint” (ESV).
​

During Isaiah’s lifetime, the dispirited nation of Israel suffered a period of great distress politically as oppressive Assyrian powers invaded and conquered their lands. Isaiah chapters 40–48 contain promises of redemption and deliverance from the suffering. That section of the book starts with the words “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God” (Isaiah 40:1). Israel had nearly given up hope, thinking God had abandoned them, yet Isaiah drives his point home in Isaiah 40:27–31, “Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, ‘My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God’? Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint” (ESV).

Ancient Hebrew culture revered eagles as mighty warriors that also cared fiercely for their young. Eagles carry their eaglets to safety, away from the threat of predators. Eagles are also known for their strength and courage in dangerous, turbulent weather, soaring above storm clouds and to safety. Eagles’ wings was a figure of speech commonly used to attribute these fine characteristics to a person. The Lord references eagles’ wings in Exodus 19:1–6, which is a recollection of how God delivered Israel from the Egyptians. In this passage, the Lord gives Moses a message for His people: “You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession” (verses 4–5).

The prophet Isaiah uses wings like eagles in the same way, attributing the great characteristics of eagles to those who remain faithful to God and look forward to their heavenly reward. The phrase mount up is a translation of the Hebrew word ˈalah, which means “to go up, ascend, to go up over a boundary.” Isaiah is communicating the promise that God will provide renewed strength and courage to overcome obstacles, if Israel would only have patience and trust in the Lord’s sovereign timing.

Upon reading Isaiah’s words, perhaps Israel recalled what God had said to them long ago as they fled Egypt, about how the Lord had delivered them “on eagles’ wings” with His great strength and power. Isaiah tells them that they, too, could have access to such deliverance. If they remained faithful to God, they would soar.

Christians today can apply the principle of Isaiah 40:31 by trusting in God’s sovereignty and waiting faithfully for Him. “We do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16). God in His grace will provide power, strength, and courage to the weary, weak, and downtrodden when they are willing to be patient and wait on Him. God will cause us to mount up on eagles’ wings.


Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things,” or, as the NET puts it, “Keep thinking about things above, not things on the earth.” To set one’s mind on something is to choose to think about it, influencing one’s goals and guiding one’s course of action. The first part of the chapter is worth quoting in full to give the proper context:

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.


Romans 12:2: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Matthew 6:19–20, 33: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. . . . Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

1 Timothy 6:17: “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”


​

​In his book 

The Air I Breathe, Louie Giglio discusses

the idea that God,

our Creator,

designed every person for worship.


Worship is what we do, and worshipers are who we are, says Giglio. If we consider how we spend our time, money, and energy and where we focus our affection and loyalty, we will discover a throne. That throne contains the things nearest and dearest to our hearts—it reveals what and whom we worship. The apostle Peter specifies the one Being we are to place above all others on the throne of our hearts: “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts” (1 Peter 3:15, NKJV).

In the original text, the verb rendered “sanctify” (a form of hagiazō in Greek) means “to dedicate, to set apart, to make holy, treat or regard with reverence and honor.” “Lord God” in the New Testament refers to the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Peter says we are to “sanctify,” or set apart, the Lord in our hearts—we are to give Him a special place of honor. Other translations word the command to sanctify the Lord as “you must worship Christ as Lord of your life” (NLT) or “in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy” (ESV).

Peter positions this exhortation within the context of persecution for “doing what is right” and suffering because of our faith in Christ: “But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it” (1 Peter 3:14–15, NLT). Rather than react with worry and fear, believers are to respond to persecution with worship and a renewed dedication to sharing the faith.

Peter alludes to the prophet Isaiah: “Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life. He is the one you should fear. He is the one who should make you tremble. He will keep you safe” (Isaiah 8:13–14, NLT). Peter’s admonition also echoes with these words of Jesus: “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. . . . Don’t be troubled or afraid” (John 14:1, 27, NLT).

Sometimes in the Christian life, especially when faced with opposition or trouble, we are tempted to worry about potential threats and give in to our fears. Jesus promised us that, despite the tribulations we would have in this world, we can have peace and courage because He has overcome the world (John 16:33). We can “sanctify the Lord God in our hearts” instead of fearing what people might do to us. Our fear of the Lord will overcome every worldly threat. We can let Christ’s words of reassurance drown out every menacing voice. We can trust that the Spirit of God within us is greater than our earthly enemies (1 John 4:4). They may try to harm us and even succeed, but suffering a little discomfort now is better than compromising in our relationship with the Lord.

Suffering because of our faith is a mega-theme in Peter’s letters: “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer . . . as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. . . . Those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good” (1 Peter 4:12–19). The apostle Paul reminds us that our earthly afflictions are “light and momentary” compared to the “eternal weight of glory” that waits for us in heaven (2 Corinthians 4:17).

Suffering is an inevitable part of our calling to follow and serve Christ (Matthew 10:22, 38; Acts 9:16; 14:22; Philippians 1:29). Paul told Timothy, “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). We should not be surprised if the world hates us (1 John 3:13). Instead, we should expect persecution and even embrace it, knowing God will empower us to endure through it (2 Timothy 1:8; 1 Peter 2:19; 3:17) and even bring good from it (Hebrews 12:7; Romans 5:3–4; 8:17; 2 Thessalonians 1:4–5; 2 Corinthians 1:9; James 1:3).

Sanctifying the Lord God in our hearts means giving our wholehearted allegiance to Jesus Christ and worshiping Him only—despite the cost. It reveals profound trust in Jesus as our sovereign Lord and King. We recognize that He alone is in control of our circumstances and those who threaten us are not (see 1 Peter 1:6–7). To the One who sits on the throne of our hearts we commit ourselves, and we continue to do what is right even if we suffer because of our faith in Him.

In Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer, Jesus prays to His Father, saying, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17). In this verse, Jesus communicates two important facts: God’s Word is truth—God’s Word equals truth—and it’s by that truth that God sanctifies us, or sets us apart for holy service to Himself.

In the same prayer, Jesus prays for His disciples and all who will believe in Him through the gospel (John 17:20). Believers accept God’s words (John 17:6) and accept Jesus as God’s Word (John 17:8). God is truth, and His truth brings salvation to all who accept it (Titus 2:11). Further, God’s written and living Word will sustain believers as they are in the world (John 17:14).

In the High Priestly Prayer in John 17, Jesus confirms that He brought the message of salvation to the world: “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3). Jesus’ mission of bringing the truth has been accomplished (John 17:4), and He turns the focus of His prayer to God working through the disciples and other believers. He confirms that believers will be rejected by the world for believing “Your word is truth,” but believers are also assured joy, God’s protection from the evil one, and sanctification by God’s Word (John 17:13–19).

The Old and New Testaments both affirm that the words recorded in the Bible are God’s words and that they are true. Since God cannot lie, His Word is truth: “As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless” (Psalm 18:30). Since God is eternal and unchanging, His Word is always the same: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (Matthew 24:35; cf. Isaiah 40:8). Jesus uses the Word as He rebukes the devil who was tempting Him: “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4; cf. Deuteronomy 8:3).

If we want to know truth, we will look in God’s written Word (2 Timothy 3:16–17) and look to Jesus Christ (John 14:6; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Hebrews 1:3). John refers to Jesus Christ in John 1:1–2, saying, “In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” The Word is God’s total message, and Jesus embodied that full message, which is why He is called the “Logos,” or “Word,” of God (Colossians 1:19; 2:9). God is truth. His Word is truth. Salvation comes by accepting Jesus and agreeing that “Your word is truth.”

Jesus said, “Your word is truth.” When we look at the Bible, we see truth. The Bible does not merely contain the truth; it is the truth. Every word is truth, in every part of the Bible. “The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times” (Psalm 12:6). This is the doctrine of the verbal, plenary inspiration of Scripture.

How we respond to God’s written Word and the Word made flesh has an eternal impact on us. Since God’s Word is truth, rejecting the Bible and rejecting Jesus is rejecting God Himself. Believing, cherishing, studying, and obeying God’s Word is the key to salvation, understanding God, and living abundantly (John 10:10).

No matter what we may face in this world, we are sustained by the truth prayed over us in Jesus’ prayer:


“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth”

​(John 17:17).


The book of Revelation contains a passage in which St. John sees a great sign in the sky. He wrote:
 And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.

She brought forth a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne [Revelation 12:1, 5].

 This is part of a very intriguging passage of the Book of Revelation.
 Who is this mysterious Woman clothed in the sun?

 In the following video, we explore that question and look at different theories that have been proposed. There have been a number proposed, and they each point to different evidence in their favor.



Is She the Virgin Mary?

Note that the Woman gives birth to a male child who is to rule the nations with a rod of iron. That’s a reference to the Messianic prophecy in Psalm 2, where we read:

Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron [Psalm 2:8-9].



Jesus fulfilled this Messianic prophecy.

The fact that the male child is caught up to the throne of God is a reference to Jesus’ Ascension into heaven, so we have another confirmation that the male child is Jesus

And since the Woman who gives birth to him is his Mother, we could infer that the Woman here is Jesus’ mother, the Virgin Mary.
But there is more to the story.


Is She Israel ... or the Church?

The symbolism connected with the Woman is drawn from the book of Genesis, where the patriarch Joseph has a dream involving the sun, the moon and the stars.

Then he dreamed another dream, and told it to his brothers, and said, "Behold, I have dreamed another dream; and behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me."


But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him, and said to him, "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” [Genesis 37:9-10].
The symbolism of the sun, moon, and 12 stars comes from Genesis, where it refers to the family of Jacob and the 12 patriarchs, who headed the twelve tribes of Israel.
​
That has led some to say that the Woman in Revelation 12 is Israel.
​
You could go further and note that the Church is the spiritual Israel. So some have suggested that the Woman as the Church.



Figuring out Which View is True

• Is the Woman Mary?
• Is the Woman Israel?
• Is the Woman the Church?

You could try to solve this problem by making some of the symbols primary and some secondary.

For example, you could make the Woman’s role as the mother of Jesus primary, so she’s his literal mother, Mary, and the sun, moon, and stars imagery only means that Mary was a Jewish woman.

Or you could make the sun, moon, and stars imagery primary and say that she’s Israel, and the fact that Mary was the particular Jewish woman who gave birth to Jesus is secondary.


Either/Or Vs. Both/And

We don’t have to make that choice, because if you study the way symbolism is used in the book of Revelation,  it often uses a single symbol points to more than one thing.

For example, Revelation 17 tells us what the seven heads of the beast represents:

This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the [Whore of Babylon] is seated; they are also seven kings (Revelation 17:9-10).

If the seven heads can be seven mountains and seven kings then the Woman clothed with the sun might be the Virgin Mary and Israel and the Church.





What does Revelation 12:5 mean?

​
This verse reports that the woman John saw brought forth a male child who was destined to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. This child is the third of seven critically important figures described in this passage. The woman is symbolic of the nation of Israel, and this verse is an obvious reference to Jesus. Isaiah 9:6–7 prophesies that this child will bear the government on His shoulder and there will be no end to His government and peace. He will rule with justice and righteousness from the throne of David. Zechariah prophesied that Jesus "shall sit and rule on his throne" (Zechariah 6:13). Psalm 2:7–9 prophesies that God the Father will give His Son Jesus the nations for His inheritance and the ends of the earth for His possession, and His Son will break them with a rod of iron. This rule will follow the tribulation and last a thousand years (Revelation 20:1–6).

Satan's effort to destroy Jesus the Messiah failed. Jesus arose from the dead and ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9; 1 Timothy 3:16). John testifies here that the woman's child "was caught up to God and to his throne," reflecting an event which has already occurred.


Revelation 12:1–6 opens a long stretch of Revelation which ''pauses'' the narrative of the end times. These events are highly symbolic and refer to varying times throughout both history and the future. This section points back to the fall of Satan and to the birth and ascension of Jesus. The passage concludes with an event in the middle of the tribulation period. Revelation 13 will describe the situation prompting the woman of Revelation 12:1–6 to flee into the wilderness.

​This chapter relates several highly symbolic visions, which introduce figures critical to the end times. First is a woman, representative of Israel. Second is a red dragon, identified with Satan. Third is a male child, who is Jesus Christ. The red dragon seeks to devour the woman's male child, but God caught the child to His throne, referring to the ascension of Jesus after His resurrection. The passage then continues to describe a war in heaven between Michael and Satan—here Satan becomes the fourth key figure—which results in Satan's complete and total eviction from heaven. Satan attempts to destroy Israel, most likely through an armed invasion, which is supernaturally defeated by God through an earthquake. The fifth main figure is the collective ''offspring'' of the woman. These events are given further details in passages such as Ezekiel chapter 38.

The Hebrew verb "chadash" primarily means to renew or restore. It conveys the idea of making something new or bringing it back to its original state. This term is often used in the context of physical restoration, such as repairing a structure, as well as spiritual renewal, such as a renewed heart or spirit.

Psalms 51:10-12 Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; And take not thy holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; And uphold me with a willing spirit.

The Hebrew word for "queen bee" is Deborah (דְבוֹרָה). Deborah is also a feminine name that comes from the Hebrew word D'vorah, which means "bee". 

In the Old Testament Book of Judges, Deborah was a prophetess. She was a leader who used her strength and intelligence to reunite her people and lead them through war and peace. Deborah is considered a symbol of a fiery female warrior. 

The queen bee in a beehive is the only female with fully developed ovaries.Her primary roles are to lay eggs and produce chemical scents that help regulate the colony. 


The Hebrew noun דבר (davar, Strong's #1697) is translated as "word." It is derived from the parent root דר (DR), which means "order." The verb form of דבר (davar) is דבר(D.B.R, Strong's #1696) and is commonly found in the Biblical text meaning to "speak," as in the phrase vayidaber YHWH el moshe l'mor (and YHWH spoke to Moses saying). The ancient Hebrew understanding of "speaking," or a "speech," is an ordered arrangement of words. 

The noun דבר (davar) is a masculine noun. The feminine form of this word is דברה(devorah) and is the name Deborah, but also means "bee." A bee hive is a colony of insects that live in a perfectly ordered society. 

Another common word derived from the noun דבר (davar) is מדבר (midvar, Strong's #4057) meaning a "wilderness". In the ancient Hebrew mind the wilderness, in contrast to the cities, is a place of order. Many people today live in the cities, a place of hurrying, rushing and high crime. The city can easily be seen as a place of chaos. 

On the other hand, when we want to "get away from it all" and slow down and really rest we go out to the "wilderness" to camp, take walks or sit by a lake. The wilderness is a place of order where all of nature is in a perfect balance of harmony.

The verb דבר (D.B.R) may better be translated as "order" as in the phrase "And YHWH gave orders to Moses saying". A commanding officer has formulated his action plans and has determined the best means to have these plans carried out. Once all of this is determined, he gives his "orders" to his troops. These orders are "an ordered arrangement".

The phrase "Ten Commandments" does not actually appear in the Hebrew Bible; instead it is aseret hadevariym and is literally translated as "the ten orders". The "Ten Commandments" are our orders from God (the general). They are an ordered arrangement of ideas that, if followed, will bring about peace and harmony.

The Hebrew word דבר (davar, Strong’s #1697) demonstrates an interesting aspect of Hebrew thought. This Hebrew word is also frequently translated as “thing,” such as we can see in Numbers 18:7 where it says, “all the things of the altar.” In the Hebrew mind, “words” are “things,” they have just as much substance as any other “thing.” This helps us with understanding a few things in the Bible. When Jacob stole his brother’s birthright in Genesis 27 he took the “words” from his father Isaac that was meant for his brother. When his brother Esau came for his blessing, his father said that he had already given it to Jacob. I often wondered why Isaac couldn’t just tell Jacob that the blessing he gave him didn’t count as he stole it and then just give it to his brother. But in the Hebrew mind words cannot be taken back as they have already been spoken. It is the same as if Isaac had given Jacob something physical, say a glass of water. Once Jacob drank from the glass it cannot be taken back. We should keep this in mind when we speak. Your words have an effect on others just as we see in Proverbs 12:8; “A rash speaker is like piercings of a sword, and the tongue of the wise is healing.”

​
Judges 5 records the song of Deborah and Barak after God caused Israel’s victory in battle over Jabin, the king of Canaan.

​The song concludes with the appeal to the Lord for blessing:

“Let those who love Him be like the sun When it comes out in full strength”

(Judges 5:31, NKJV).
​

The writer of Judges makes it clear that God was the One who defeated Jabin king of Canaan (Judges 4:23). The victory belonged to the Lord, but it would be Israel who would enjoy the blessings of that victory. Deborah and Barak sang a song reminding the people that they should praise the Lord, as the victory was His (Judges 5:3). The song mentions Deborah, the prophetess; Barak, the military leader; and Jael, the woman who killed Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army (Judges 4:7, 17–20).

In the concluding line of the song of Deborah and Barak, they add, “Thus let all your enemies perish, O Lord, but let those who love Him be like the rising of the sun in its might” (Judges 5:31, NASB 1995). This is an appeal for justice, that the enemies of God might all perish, and that those who love the Lord will be like the rising of the sun on a bright and cloudless morning. Each new day, the sun rises—mightily and with powerful blessing felt by all the inhabitants of the earth. Deborah and Barak ask God that those who love Him might rise up with predictable and renewed strength and blessing—like the sun.

Deborah and Barak’s request is reminiscent of Jesus’ illustration when He predicted a time when “the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father” (Matthew 13:43). It also brings to mind God’s affirmation that those who wait upon Him will gain new strength, will rise like eagles, will run and not get tired, and will walk and not be weary (Isaiah 40:31).

Deborah’s and Barak’s song is a reminder to us that God is faithful and that He keeps His word. Paul explains in Romans 8:28–30 that all things work together for the good of those who love Him. He is working things out for our benefit—that we may ultimately be conformed to the image of Christ. So, even when we are going through difficult battles and trials, we can have confidence that God knows. He is not ignorant of our difficulties. Rather, they are designed for our good. For that reason, we can even rejoice in our trials as Peter exhorts (1 Peter 1:6–7). As James encourages us, we can consider it all joy when we encounter various difficulties (James 1:2–4).

Deborah and Barak understood that God is faithful. Even though they had undergone a difficult trial, God had allowed them to be renewed, and they asked God to let all who love Him be like the rising of the sun in its full strength.

Second Corinthians 3:6 says, “He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” With these words, Paul summarizes the key difference between the Old and New Testaments: the first covenant was based on obedience to the written law (the “letter”), but the second covenant is based on the blood of Christ and sealed by the Holy Spirit.

There are two parts to this answer, as we look at both the letter and the Spirit.

First, what does Paul mean by “the letter kills”? Simply that the Old Testament Law, which is good and perfect (Psalm 19:7), reveals all people as law-breakers (Galatians 3:10). The law “kills” in that the penalty for breaking God’s law is eternal death in hell (Romans 6:23; Revelation 21:8). As God told Moses the lawgiver, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book” (Exodus 32:33). Even if you sin only once in your whole life, it’s the same as breaking all of God’s laws (James 2:10), just as breaking only one link in a chain breaks the whole chain.

The written law—“the letter”—was chiseled in stone by the finger of God and is the unchanging standard by which all are judged. The law cannot give us righteousness or eternal life in heaven (Galatians 2:16). It can only condemn us as sinners, and the sentence is death. Heaven is where perfection is required (Matthew 5:20, 48; 19:16–21), and “the law made nothing perfect” (Hebrews 7:19).

Second, what does Paul mean by “the Spirit gives life”? Simply that the Holy Spirit rescues us from our hopeless situation. God saves us from death and grants us eternal life when we are born again through the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit” (John 3:6), and, later, “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are Spirit and they are life” (John 6:63).

The Holy Spirit was active in the Incarnation of our Savior (Luke 1:35). It was through the Holy Spirit that Jesus offered Himself as a sacrifice to God for our sins (Hebrews 9:14). The Spirit is the cause of the new birth (John 3:3–8). It is the Spirit who lives in believers (John 14:17), seals them (Ephesians 1:13), and sanctifies them (Romans 15:16).

Jesus came to give us an abundant life, or life “to the full” (John 10:10). The Holy Spirit living in believers is how Jesus fulfills that promise. The abundant Christian life is marked by the fruit of the Spirit, which is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23). The Old Testament Law could not produce any of that fruit; only the Holy Spirit can, as He lives in us.

The Spirit gives life in that He enables us to reach God’s ultimate goal for us, to be transformed into the glorious image of God’s own Son (2 Corinthians 3:18; also see Romans 8:28–30). Until the day that we see Christ, the Spirit intercedes with God on our behalf, ensuring our continued forgiveness and preserving the promise of God (Romans 8:26–27).

“The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Corinthians 3:6). Elsewhere, Paul teaches the same truth: “But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code” (Romans 7:6).

There are two primary Greek words that describe Scripture which are translated “word” in the New Testament. The first, logos, refers principally to the total inspired Word of God and to Jesus, who is the living Word. Logos is found in John 1:1; Luke 8:11; Philippians 2:16; Hebrews 4:12; and other verses. The second Greek word translated “word” is rhema, which refers to the spoken word. Rhema literally means an utterance(individually, collectively or specifically). Examples are found in Luke 1:38; 3:2; 5:5; and Acts 11:16.

Charismatic and non-charismatic Christians have different views regarding rhema and how it should be understood. Some charismatics view rhema as the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to them at the present moment. They believe they should be guided by the Holy Spirit through inner feelings, impressions and experiences. Some believe that the direct words of God to the individual can also be imparted through the words of others, such as a preacher in a worship service or a friend who counsels them. Through these avenues, the Christian experiences God’s direct leading. There is also the belief that the spoken word has more power than the written word, but there is no biblical basis for such a belief.

Evangelical Christians, however, have a much different understanding of rhema, believing that it is essentially synonymous with logos. In other words, the specific guidance we receive from the Holy Spirit at any given time can only be discerned by the general principles laid down in the Bible. Where the Bible is silent on specifics—such as where a young person should go to college—then the Christian applies biblical principles (good stewardship of God-given resources, protecting one’s heart and mind from godless influences, etc.) to the situation and thereby arrives at a decision. 

The test of the authenticity of a rhema from God is how it compares to the whole of Scripture. Orthodoxy says that God will not speak a word that contradicts His written Word, the Scriptures, so there is a built-in safeguard to prevent misinterpretation. The obvious danger is that one who is not familiar with the logos can misinterpret or misunderstand what he or she perceives to be a rhema.

​

Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God

…9Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities. 10Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a rightspirit within me. 11Cast me not away from Your presence; take not Your Holy Spirit from me.…



Ezekiel 36:26
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come!

Jeremiah 24:7
I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD. They will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with all their heart.

Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Ezekiel 11:19
And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them; I will remove their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh,

Titus 3:5
He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

Jeremiah 31:33
“But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people.

Galatians 6:15
For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything. What counts is a new creation.

Isaiah 57:15
For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit, to restore the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite.

Ephesians 4:22-24
to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; / to be renewed in the spirit of your minds; / and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Jeremiah 32:39
I will give them one heart and one way, so that they will always fear Me for their own good and for the good of their children after them.

Colossians 3:9-10
Do not lie to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices, / and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

Isaiah 43:18-19
“Do not call to mind the former things; pay no attention to the things of old. / Behold, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert.

Hebrews 8:10
For this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord. I will put My laws in their minds and inscribe them on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people.

1 Peter 1:22-23
Since you have purified your souls by obedience to the truth so that you have a genuine love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from a pure heart. / For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Ephesians 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
c
Psalm 73:1
A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.

Proverbs 20:9
Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?

Jeremiah 13:27
I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem! wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be?

Romans 12:2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what isthat good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Ephesians 4:22-24
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; … 

Colossians 3:10
And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
r
Psalm 78:8,37
And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God… 

Joshua 14:14
Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel.
​
1 Kings 15:3-5
And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father…

1 Samuel 11:14
HEB: וְנֵלְכָ֣ה הַגִּלְגָּ֑ל וּנְחַדֵּ֥שׁ שָׁ֖ם הַמְּלוּכָֽה׃
NAS: to Gilgal and renew the kingdom
KJV: to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom
INT: go to Gilgal and renew there the kingdom2 Chronicles 15:8
HEB: מֵהַ֣ר אֶפְרָ֑יִם וַיְחַדֵּשׁ֙ אֶת־ מִזְבַּ֣ח
NAS: of Ephraim. He then restored the altar
KJV: Ephraim, and renewed the altar
INT: the hill of Ephraim restored the altar of the LORD
2 Chronicles 24:4
HEB: לֵ֣ב יוֹאָ֔שׁ לְחַדֵּ֖שׁ אֶת־ בֵּ֥ית
NAS: decided to restore the house
KJV: was minded to repair the house
INT: was minded this Joash to restorethe house of the LORD
2 Chronicles 24:12
HEB: חֹצְבִ֣ים וְחָרָשִׁ֔ים לְחַדֵּ֖שׁ בֵּ֣ית יְהוָ֑ה
NAS: and carpenters to restore the house
KJV: and carpenters to repair the house
INT: masons and carpenters to restorethe house of the LORD
Job 10:17
HEB: תְּחַדֵּ֬שׁ עֵדֶ֨יךָ ׀ נֶגְדִּ֗י
NAS: You renew Your witnesses against
KJV: Thou renewest thy witnesses
INT: renew your witnesses against
Psalm 51:10
HEB: וְר֥וּחַ נָ֝כ֗וֹן חַדֵּ֥שׁ בְּקִרְבִּֽי׃ 
NAS: O God, And renew a steadfast
KJV: heart, O God; and renew a right spirit
INT: spirit A steadfast and renew within
Psalm 103:5
HEB: בַּטּ֣וֹב עֶדְיֵ֑ךְ תִּתְחַדֵּ֖שׁ כַּנֶּ֣שֶׁר נְעוּרָֽיְכִי׃
NAS: [So that] your youth is renewed like the eagle.
KJV: [things; so that] thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.
INT: good your years is renewed the eagle your youth
Psalm 104:30
HEB: ר֭וּחֲךָ יִבָּרֵא֑וּן וּ֝תְחַדֵּ֗שׁ פְּנֵ֣י אֲדָמָֽה׃
NAS: they are created; And You renewthe face
KJV: they are created: and thou renewest the face
INT: your Spirit are created renew the face of the ground
Isaiah 61:4
HEB: רִֽאשֹׁנִ֖ים יְקוֹמֵ֑מוּ וְחִדְּשׁוּ֙ עָ֣רֵי חֹ֔רֶב
NAS: devastations; And they will repairthe ruined
KJV: desolations, and they shall repairthe waste
INT: the former will raise will repair cities the ruined
Lamentations 5:21
HEB: (וְֽנָשׁ֔וּבָה ק) חַדֵּ֥שׁ יָמֵ֖ינוּ כְּקֶֽדֶם׃
NAS: that we may be restored; Renewour days
KJV: and we shall be turned; renew our days
INT: about Restore Renew our days of old

​

“The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD”

(Luke 4:18–19, NKJV; cf. Isaiah 61:1–2)



The Greek word translated “liberty” in 2 Corinthians 3:17 means “personal freedom from servitude, confinement, or oppression.” Jesus came to set us free spiritually. To the children of God, Christ says, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). When a person receives Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, the Spirit of the Lord takes up residence in that individual (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:13; 2 Corinthians 3:18). Believers are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13–14)

and made alive by the Spirit of the Living God

(2 Corinthians 3:3, 6)
​

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty because those who are in Christ—those born of God’s Spirit (John 3:5–6)—are freed from the law of sin and death (Galatians 4:3–7). Paul told the Romans, “And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death” (Romans 8:2, NLT; see also Romans 7:4–5). “We have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit” (Romans 7:6, NLT).

Liberty and freedom are words Paul often used to sum up the experience of salvation in Christ. He said Christians no longer live in bondage as slaves to sin: “Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace” (Romans 6:14, NLT). Paul warned believers not to fall back into slavery to the law: “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law” (Galatians 5:1, NLT).

In Jesus Christ, believers are set free from the guilt, influence, and punishment of sin (Romans 8:1–6). Jesus is “the truth” (John 14:6), and He told His hearers who believed in Him, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32, NLT).

The ultimate liberty is freedom from death through the gift of eternal life in Jesus Christ (John 17:2–3; 1 John 5:11–12). Believers can live free from the fear of death and the sting of death because our Lord Jesus Christ gives us victory over these foes (1 Corinthians 15:53–57).

Before we received the Spirit of the Lord, our lives were characterized by servitude to sin, the law, and death. Now that we are alive in Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit, we have a new life (2 Corinthians 5:17; Romans 6:4). We are set free to serve God in the fullest sense of liberation. One game-changing, life-transforming aspect of our spiritual freedom is knowing that this present world is not our real home (Hebrews 11:13; 13:14; Philippians 3:20; 1 Peter 2:11; 1 John 2:15–17). There is liberty where the Spirit of the Lord is because, as God’s children, we live with the future expectation of glory. We have God’s promise of freedom from death and decay in our eternal heavenly home (Romans 8:21)


​