Arc of the Covenent
One for Israel, Itown, Heartview, Northland, Arc, Highlands, Chicago City, Grace
Faith and Belief
(James 2:14–26)
O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?
Are you so foolish? After starting in the Spirit, are you now finishing in the flesh? Have you suffered so much for nothing, if it really was for nothing? Does God lavish His Spirit on you and work miracles among you because you practice the law, or because you hear and believe?
So also, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Understand, then, that those who have faith are sons of Abraham. The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and foretold the gospel to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
Christ Has Redeemed Us
All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.” The law, however, is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.”
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” He redeemed us in order that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
In Romans 1:16–17,
Paul reaches the high point of his introductory greeting to the church in Rome: “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in His sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, ‘It is through faith that a righteous person has life’
Nothing mattered more to Paul than fulfilling God’s will for his life, which was to preach the good news of salvation. Without the good news of the gospel, and without the power that is the gospel, there can be no salvation, no freedom from sin, no redemption, and no life. The power of the gospel is the theme of Paul’s letter to the Romans and the ambition of his life.
Paul writes with full knowledge that the church in Rome is facing persecution and suffering under Roman oppression. Many of the believers there are experiencing humiliation and shame because of their faith in Christ. Paul wants them to be assured that the worldly power of Rome cannot hold a candle to the mighty power of God—the gospel of Jesus Christ. That gospel is God’s limitless power directed toward the salvation of men and women. For every person who believes, whether Jew or Gentile, man or woman, black or white, the gospel effectively becomes the saving power of God.
Paul tells the Roman Christians
that
“In THE GOSPEL
the
Righteousness of God
is revealed”
(Romans 1:17)
Righteousness
is thus a complete and
total work of God.
Humans
tend to view righteousness
as something
we can achieve
by our
own merit or actions.
But the righteousness of God
is different.
It is a right standing before God that
has nothing to do
with human accomplishment
or worth.
It is received by faith.
There is nothing we can do
to deserve or earn it.
Whether we are brand-new followers of Christ or seasoned, mature believers who have walked with the Lord for many years, we must trust God “from start to finish” and rely on His mighty power—the power of the gospel—to change our lives and the lives of those we encounter.
The Bible has a lot to say about perseverance in several different contexts.
Clearly, the Scriptures teach that those
who
overcome” and persevere in
the faith
will inherit eternal life
(Revelation 2:7).
This truth is also expressed in Colossians 1:23 where we see that people will be holy, blameless, and above reproach “if they continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel.” So all Christians should be in agreement that those who are ultimately saved are those who do
persevere and continue to believe the gospel.
We are “born again” by the Holy Spirit,
which results in
our coming to faith in Christ.
All who have been “born again” do have eternal security and will persevere. The doctrine of the perseverance of the saints is founded in the promise that “he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6) and Jesus’ declaration that “all that the Father gives me will come to me” and “I shall lose none of them that he has given me”
(John 6:37, 39).
Beyond the concept of perseverance in regard to salvation, there are biblical exhortations to persevere in the Christian life. In his pastoral epistles to Timothy, the apostle Paul reminds the young pastor to “watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1 Timothy 4:16). Timothy’s character was that of a godly man, and his doctrine was sound and scriptural. Paul warned him to watch them both closely and persevere in them because—and this is a warning to all Christians—perseverance in godly living and believing the truth always accompany genuine conversion
(John 8:31; Romans 2:7).
Further exhortations to persevere in the Christian life come from James, who warns us to be “doers of the word and not hearers only” because those who hear but do not do are “deceiving themselves.” “But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it [perseveres]…this one will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:22-25). The sense here is that the Christian who perseveres in godliness and the spiritual disciplines will be blessed in the very act of persevering.
The more we
persevere in the Christian life,
the more
God grants His blessings upon us,
thereby
enabling us to continue to persevere.
The psalmist
reminds us that there is great reward
in persevering in the Christian life.
In keeping God’s
commandments,
there is “great reward” for our souls
(Psalm 19:11),
peace of mind, a clear conscience,
and a witness to the
world more eloquent than many words.
James also exhorts
us to persevere “under trials”
because
those who do will be blessed
and will receive
the “crown of life” which God
has promised
(James 1:12).
Just as the true
believer will be eternally
secure in his salvation,
his faith will also
persevere
in affliction, sickness, persecution,
and the other trials
of life
that befall all believers.
If we desire
to live godly lives in Christ,
we will suffer persecution
(2 Timothy 3:12),
but the
faithful will persevere,
kept by the
Power of the Holy Spirit
who is the
guarantee of our salvation
and who will
keep us “strong to the end,”
persevering so we will
be
“blameless on the day
of our
Lord Jesus Christ”
(1 Corinthians 1:8).
The Purpose of the Law
(Romans 7:1–6)
Brothers, let me put this in human terms.
Even a human covenant,
once it is ratified,
cannot be canceled or amended.
The promises were spoken
to
Abraham and to his seed.
The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,”
meaning many,
but “and
to your seed,” meaning
One,
who is Christ.
What I mean is this: The law that came 430 years later does
not revoke the covenant
previously established by God, so as to nullify the promise.
For if the inheritance depends on the law,
then it no longer depends on a promise;
but God freely granted it
to Abraham through a promise.
Why then was the law given?
It was added because of transgressions,
until the arrival of
the seed
to whom the promise referred.
It was
administered through angels
by a mediator.
A mediator is unnecessary, however, for only one party; but God is one.
Is the law, then, opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not!
For if a law had been given that could impart life,
then righteousness
would certainly have come from the law.
But the Scripture pronounces all things
confined by sin,
So that by Faith
in
Jesus Christ
The Promise Might
be Given
To Those who Believe
Before this
faith came, 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.
Sons through Faith in Christ
You are all sons of God
through
faith in Christ Jesus.
For all of you
who were baptized
into Christ have
clothed
yourselves with Christ.
There is neither
Jew nor Greek, slave nor free,
male nor female,
for you are all one
in Christ Jesus.
And if
YOU BELONG to Christ,
then YOU ARE
Abraham’s Seed and Heirs
according
to
The PROMISE
Future Glory
(2 Corinthians 5:1–10)
I consider that our present sufferings
are not comparable
to the glory
that will be revealed in us.
The creation waits in eager
expectation for the revelation of the
sons of God.
For the creation was subjected to futility,
not by its own will,
but because of the One who subjected it,
in hope that the creation itself
will be set free
from its bondage to decay and brought
into the glorious
freedom of the children of God.
We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time. Not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved; but hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he can already see? But if we hope for what we do not yet see, we wait for it patiently.
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
God Works in All Things
(Ephesians 1:3–14)
And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.
What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is there to condemn us? For Christ Jesus, who died, and more than that was raised to life, is at the right hand of God—and He is interceding for us.
More than Conquerors
(Psalm 44:1–26)
Who shall separate us from the
love of Christ?
Shall trouble or distress or
persecution or famine
or nakedness or danger or sword?
As it is written:
“For Your sake we face death all day long;
we are
considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these
things we are more than conquerors
through Him who loved us.
For I am convinced
that neither death nor life,
neither angels nor principalities,
neither the present nor the future,
nor any powers,
Neither height nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from
the love of God
that is in
Christ Jesus our Lord.
the whole counsel
of God
is found in Acts 20:27
In his farewell speech to
the elders
of the Ephesian church,
Paul says,
“Therefore
I testify to you this day
that I am
innocent of the blood of all,
for I did not shrink from
declaring to you
the whole counsel of God”
(Acts 20:26–27, ESV)
Declaring the whole counsel of God is what made Paul “innocent” of anyone’s choice to turn away from the truth. Paul had fulfilled his ministry among the Ephesians.
Paul spent several years in Ephesus prior to this speech. When he first arrived in Ephesus, Paul had found some disciples who had only heard of John the Baptist and did not yet know of the completed ministry of Jesus or the coming of the Holy Spirit. After bringing them up to speed by presenting Jesus to them, Paul baptized them “in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:4–5). Paul then spent time teaching in the synagogue and, when he was opposed there, taught at the lecture hall, and “all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord” (Acts 19:10). Verse 20 says, “The word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.” Later, a group of merchants in Ephesus started a riot over the positive impact of the gospel in their city. After the riot ended, Paul said goodbye to the disciples in Ephesus before going to Macedonia. Several months later, on his way to Jerusalem, Paul called the Ephesian elders to Miletus to meet with him. It is here that Paul reminds the Ephesians that he had “not hesitated to proclaim . . . the whole will of God” (Acts 20:27).
Paul shared “the whole counsel of God” (ESV) or “the whole will of God” (NIV) or “the whole purpose of God” (NASB) in that he spoke the complete gospel. He had given them the whole truth about God’s salvation. He also revealed to them the “mystery” of God (Ephesians 3:9), which in the context of Ephesians 3 is God’s extending His plan of salvation to Gentiles as well as Jews.
Despite the opposition Paul faced in Ephesus, he continued to share the good news in its entirety. He did not shrink back from his duty but proclaimed the whole counsel of God. He tells the Ephesian elders, “I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus” (Acts 20:19–21). Paul shared everything that God had revealed with everyone who would listen—and even some who wouldn’t.
Paul tells the Ephesian elders that, having given them the whole counsel of God, he is innocent if any of the Ephesians choose to turn away from Christ. Like the prophet Ezekiel, Paul had been a faithful watchman: “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.”
(Ezekiel 3:17–19; cf. 33:1–9).
Paul emphasizes “the whole counsel of God” as a way to affirm the completion of his duties toward the Ephesians and to remind them of the truth. Paul warns, “I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard!” (Acts 20:29–31).
The whole counsel of God includes some things that are difficult to hear—the fact that we are dead in sin and deserving of God’s wrath (Ephesians 2:1–3) and the fact that we cannot save ourselves through works (Ephesians 2:8–9). The gospel is a call to repentance and faith. Believers will face persecution (John 16:33) and likely be considered foolish. But none of these things can dissuade us.
We should follow Paul’s example and also preach the whole counsel of God. All Scripture is inspired, and all of it is profitable (2 Timothy 3:16).
We must preach it in its entirety and allow the Holy Spirit to use His sword as He sees fit
(Ephesians 6:17).
Paul did not share
half-truths or only parts of
the gospel;
rather, he shared all of what
God has revealed.
We must do the same.
There is one body and one
Spirit,
just as
you were called
to one hope
when you were called;
one
Lord, one faith, one baptism;
One God and Father of all,
who is over
all and through all and in all.
The Word of Life
(Luke 24:36–49; John 20:19–23)
That which was from the beginning,
which we have heard,
which we have seen with our own eyes,
which we have
gazed upon and touched with our own hands--
this is the
WORD of LIFE
And this is the life that
was revealed;
we have seen it and testified to it,
and we
proclaim to you the eternal life
that was with
the Father and was revealed
to us.
We proclaim to you what we have
seen and heard,
so that you
also may have fellowship with us.
And this
fellowship
of ours is with the Father
and
with His Son, Jesus Christ.
We write
these things so that our
joy may be complete.
Walking in the Light
(John 8:12–29)
And this is the message
we have heard
from
Him and announce to you:
God is light,
and in Him
there is no darkness at all.
If we say
we have fellowship with Him yet
walk in the darkness,
we lie
and do not practice the
truth.
But if we walk in the light as
He is in the light,
we have
fellowship with one another,
and the blood of
Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
If we say we
have no sin, we deceive ourselves,
and
the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins,
He is faithful and just to forgive
us our sins and
to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness.
If we say we have not sinned,
we make Him out to be a liar,
and
His word is not in us.
Romans has the theme
of faith
(Romans 1:16–17).
Paul addresses the process
by which
faith is
produced in the heart
in Romans 10:17:
“Faith
comes from hearing the
message,
and the message
is heard
through the Word about
Christ.”
The first eight chapters of Romans contends with
the ideas of positional
salvation through faith
(Romans 1:18—5:21),
the process of growing in holiness
through faith
(Romans 6:1—8:17),
and the future
glorification Christians will
receive
because of faith
(Romans 8:18–39).
Chapters 9—11 of Romans works from the implied question,
“Has God then failed to fulfill His promises
to Israel?”
It is within this context that Paul gives the reason
for the Israelites
’ lack of salvation; namely, they lack faith
(Romans 9:32; 10:4).
The Israelites are saved through faith in Christ,
just like the Gentiles.
Eternal salvation
does not
distinguish
between Gentile or Jew but
is received through belief
in the person
and work of Jesus Christ
(Romans 10:12–13; 1 Corinthians 15:1–8; Galatians 3:23–29).
In the lead-up to
the statement that faith comes by hearing,
Romans 10:14–16 explains the
requirements for a series of actions to take place.
In order for one
to “call on the name of the Lord,”
he or she must believe.
In order to believe, one must hear
(or receive the report).
In order for one to hear, another has
to give the report.
And that other won’t give the report
unless he or she is sent.
Paul continues in Romans 10:17 to summarize the argument thus
far:
“So Faith
comes from hearing,
and hearing
by the
Word of Christ”
(NASB).
“Faith” is translated from the Greek word pistis, which means
“belief, trust, or confidence
in
someone or something.”
It is key to the book of Romans and is used
40
times in the book--
three of those occurrences appearing
in chapter 10.
The verb form of the word is also used
21
times within
the book and most often translated
as “believe.”
If faith comes by hearing, then
what does
Paul mean by “hearing”?
In this context, it is not simply the physical receiving of sounds
by the ear as most English
speakers would understand the term
. “Hearing”
seems to designate something more
--the receiving or acceptance of a report.
Note the use of the word,
translated “message” in Romans 10:16, as Paul quotes
Isaiah 53:1: “Lord, who has believed our message?”
In Isaiah’s day, the Lord
had provided Israel with a message, but the prophet laments
that few actually received it.
The “hearing” was not attached to simple
sounds but
to a message or report given.
In Romans 10,
Paul makes the point that the
good news
has been given and the people of Israel
have heard
(Romans 10:18).
The nature of the gospel is
a report:
a report of God saving people from
the wrath they deserve.
In order to believe the report, one must
receive the report!
Faith comes by hearing.
It is not a
guarantee that the report will
result in faith,
as Paul makes clear in Romans 10:16.
For just as the Israelites
refused to
believe the message of Isaiah,
every human today
can refuse to
believe the message of
THE GOSPEL
Faith that leads
to eternal
salvation comes after
“hearing”; that is,
after
receiving
this message concerning
Christ
One type of
forgiveness accomplishes a reconciliation
between two parties.
The other type of forgiveness does
not accomplish reconciliation.
For example, God’s forgiveness of the believer
results
in reconciliation
between the believer and God.
Second Corinthians 5:18–19 says that
God “reconciled us to himself through Christ. . . .
God was
reconciling the world to himself
in Christ,
not counting people’s sins against
them.”
When we are saved,
God cancels the debt we owed
and restores our relationship.
In Christ we now have
a favorable relationship
with God
and are accounted His children
(1 John 3:1).
But the Bible also reveals a type of forgiveness that does not lead to reconciliation.
On the cross, Jesus prayed,
“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing”
(Luke 23:34).
But not everyone present at Golgotha that day
was reconciled to God.
Jesus prayed that they would be forgiven, but
no reconciliation resulted.
Was Jesus sincere in His prayer? Yes.
Was universal reconciliation the result?
No.
In the same way, Stephen, as he was being stoned to death,
prayed,
“Lord, do not hold this sin against them”
(Acts 7:60).
Stephen held no bitterness, and he forgave his murderers.
They were not reconciled to him,
but the type of forgiveness he extended did not require that.
We forgive others because we have
been forgiven by God.
We forgive because God commands
us to forgive.
We forgive because
we must not harbor bitterness in our hearts
(Hebrews 12:15)
or repay evil for evil
(1 Peter 3:9).
When we forgive, we reflect the heart of God,
who is patient and
“does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants
everyone to repent”
(2 Peter 3:9, NLT).
Our Lord takes no
“pleasure in the death of the wicked”
but is
“pleased when
they turn from their ways and live”
(Ezekiel 18:23).
The fact that reconciliation
does not
always follow forgiveness means
that
the restoration of trust is not automatic.
It is wrong to think that forgiving
an abusive spouse today means the
separation
should end tomorrow.
Scripture gives
us many
reasons to distrust those who have
proved
themselves untrustworthy
(see Luke 16:10–12).
Rebuilding trust can only
begin after
a process of reconciliation,
and, as we’ve seen,
reconciliation does not always proceed
from forgiveness.
God’s solution for slander is to love
each other
(John 13:34).
We don’t slander people whom we love
(1 Corinthians 13:4–7).
Love wants the best for others,
and that means
guarding their reputations as
we do our own
(Matthew 7:12)
. “Love does no harm to a neighbor.
Therefore love is the fulfillment
of the law”
(Romans 13:10).
When we focus
on obeying the Lord by loving
as He loves us,
slander will not tempt us.
Jesus’ words
“Father, forgive them,
for they do
not know what they are
doing”
are found in Luke 23:34.
Jesus looked down from the cross upon a scene that must
have been distressing to Him.
The Roman soldiers were gambling for His clothing
(John 19:23–24);
the criminals on the crosses to either side of Him were reviling Him
(Matthew 27:44);
the religious leaders were mocking Him
(Matthew 27:41–43);
and the crowd was blaspheming Him
(Matthew 27:39).
Surrounded by this most unworthy
lot,
Jesus prayed for them.
“Father, forgive them” is a prayer of unmatched
mercy and love.
When seeking what we can learn from the
thief on the cross,
it should be remembered that at the time
of Jesus’ crucifixion,
two thieves were crucified beside Him
(Luke 23:33–43),
and both began their time on the cross by
mocking and blaspheming Him
(Matthew 27:44; Mark 15:32),
as did many of the spectators.
One of the thieves responded in faith to the
message of salvation
and was taken to paradise that very day.
He is the one
usually referred to as the thief on the cross.
The man on the cross
on the other side of Jesus never repented,
as far as we know.
So, at Calvary we have a picture
of the two possible
responses
people can have to the Savior.
It is remarkable that, while in the excruciating and mind-numbing torment of the cross, the Son of Man had the heart, mind, and will to pray for others. Yet it is a miracle that one thief, while in agony himself, heard the Spirit of God call him to repentance and acceptance of the forgiveness God was just about to provide through the death of Christ. While the disciples were abandoning the Lord, this man answered the call, and his sins were forgiven, including his blasphemy against the Son of God
(Luke 5:31-32, 12:8–10).
That the other thief rejected Jesus is remarkable in its own right. While being tortured on the cross he literally joined his torturers in insulting the Savior of the world, and he most likely did so because he wanted his torturers to think he was just like them, joined to the world and with no love for God
(Matthew 27:44).
Not only was this man next to the Savior, he heard Him pray, he witnessed the salvation of the other thief, he saw the world go dark, and he heard the testimony of the Son. But his pride kept him from submitting to the only One who could save him, and when he one day bows to the Name he mocked, he will be doing so reluctantly and while in torment
(Philippians 2:10).
What we learn from the saved thief on the cross
is that
we are all sinners in need of a Savior,
and no matter
the number of our sins and no matter if we,
or the world,
think our sins are minor or extreme,
it is never too late
to repent and accept the
free gift of salvation
(Ephesians 2:8–9; Revelation 22:17).
Moreover, as long as someone still has a
mind and the will
to choose life over death
(Hebrews 9:27),
it is not too late to proclaim
the gospel,
which hopefully will open a heart
to a miracle
by the Holy Spirit.
Reconciliation necessarily involves
change.
In Christian
reconciliation, God does
not change.
He remains perfect.
But He changes us.
As a result, our relationship with Him changes.
The means God
used to reconcile us to Himself was
His own Son, Jesus Christ:
“All this is from God, who reconciled us to
himself through Christ
and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:
that God was reconciling the world to
himself in Christ,
not counting men’s sins against them”
(2 Corinthians 5:18–19).
In fact, it was “while we were God’s enemies [that]
we were
reconciled to him through the death of his Son”
(Romans 5:10).
Jesus’ death makes all the difference.
When Christ died,
He was “making peace through his blood, shed on the cross”
(Colossians 1:20).
Jesus Christ’s death on the cross
is the basis
of our forgiveness and justification.
By grace through faith in His Son,
God thoroughly remakes us into the image of Christ.
God and man are brought together:
the formerly dead in sin are raised to new life.
“We are no longer enemies, ungodly, sinners, or powerless.
Instead, the love of God
has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit
whom he has given to us (Romans 5:5).
It is a change in the total state of our lives”
The grace and goodness
of God
are on full display
in Christian reconciliation.
“You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault”
(Colossians 1:21–22, NLT).
As those who have been reconciled to God,
we have been given
“the ministry of reconciliation”
(2 Corinthians 5:18).
We have been entrusted with “the message of reconciliation”
(verse 19).
We now take the gospel to a dying world, saying,
“We implore you on behalf
of Christ,
be reconciled to God”
(verse 20, ESV).
Jesus’ perfect sacrifice
on the
cross has made
atonement for sin
(Hebrews 2:17)
. By His death,
He brought harmony to our relationship
with God.
We plead with the unsaved to
have faith in Christ
and know the joys
of
Christian reconciliation.
doctrine is teaching
imparted by an
authoritative source.
The Bible says of itself that it
is “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”
(2 Timothy 3:16).
We are to be careful about what we believe and present
as truth.
First Timothy 4:16 says,
“Watch your life and doctrine
closely.
Persevere in them, because if you do,
you will save
both yourself and your hearers.”
Biblical doctrine helps us
understand the will of God for
our lives.
Biblical doctrine teaches us
the nature and the character of God
(Psalm 90:2; 97:2; John 4:24),
the path of salvation through faith
(Ephesians 2:8–9; Romans 10:9–10),
instruction for the church
(1 Corinthians 14:26; Titus 2:1–10),
and God’s standard of holiness
for our lives
(1 Peter 1:14–17; 1 Corinthians 6:18–20).
When we accept the Bible as God’s Word to us
2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20–21
we have a solid foundation for
our doctrine.
There can be disagreement within the
body of Christ
over
secondary points of doctrine,
such as
eschatology, church organization, or the
gifts of the Holy Spirit.
But truly biblical doctrine is that which
incorporates
the “whole counsel of God”
(Acts 20:27)
and draws
conclusions based on that which seems
most closely aligned
with the
character of our unchanging God
(Numbers 23:19; Hebrews 13:8)
However, the Bible is not always
the foundation
upon which people or
churches
build their doctrinal statements.
Our sinful natures
do not easily submit to God’s decrees,
so we often
pick and choose the parts of the Bible
we are
comfortable with and discard the rest.
Or we replace what God
says with a man-made doctrine or tradition.
This is nothing new.
Jesus rebuked the scribes and Pharisees for
“teaching as
doctrines the commandments
of men”
(Mark 7:7, ESV; cf. Isaiah 29:13).
False doctrine
was
rampant in New Testament times,
and the
Scriptures tell us it will continue
(Matthew 7:15; 2 Peter 2:1; 1 John 4:1). Second Timothy 4:3 says,
“For the time will come
when people will not put up with
sound doctrine.
Instead, to suit their own desires,
they will gather
around them a great number of teachers
to say what
their itching ears want to hear.”
The Bible gives stern warning
to those
who would
teach false or incomplete doctrine
simply because it is
more
compatible with man’s ideas.
First Timothy 6:3–4 says,
“If anyone teaches
a different doctrine and does not agree
with the sound words
of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching
that accords with godliness,
he is puffed up
with conceit and understands nothing.”
The apostle Paul
wrote harsh words about perverting
the gospel with false doctrine:
“Evidently some people are throwing you
into confusion and are
trying to
pervert the gospel of Christ.
But even if we or
an angel
from heaven should
preach a gospel
other than the one
we preached to you,
let them be under God’s curse! As we have already said, so now I say again:
If anybody is preaching to you a gospel
other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!
”(Galatians 1:7–9).
Doctrine is the worldview by which
we govern our lives.
If our
doctrine is based soundly upon
Scripture,
we can know we are
walking in
the path
God designed for us.
However, if we do not study the Word of God for ourselves
(2 Timothy 2:15),
we are led more easily into error.
Although there are a variety of minor issues upon which Christians disagree,
true doctrine is clearer than many imply.
Second Peter 1:20 says that
“no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation.”
There is a right interpretation of everything God says, and it
is our job to discern that meaning,
not create an interpretation to suit our tastes.
God wants us to know
His heart
and has given us His Word
upon
which we can build godly lives
(see Matthew 7:24).
The more we study true doctrine,
the more we
understand God and ourselves.
Ask, Seek, Knock
(Luke 11:5–13)
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?
so if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will
your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you.
For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.
The Narrow Gate
(Luke 13:22–30)
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction,
and many enter through it.
But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.
The Authority of Jesus
when Jesus
had finished saying these things,
the crowds
were astonished at His teaching,
Because He taught
as one
who had authority,
and
not as their scribes.
Don't cast your pearls
before swine” is a proverb
that means
don't waste good things
on people
who won't appreciate them.
It appears in the Bible in Matthew 7:6
God Remains Faithful
What, then, is the advantage of being a Jew?
Or what is the value of circumcision?
Much in every way.
First of all,
they have been entrusted with the
very words of God.
What if some did not have faith?
Will their lack of faith
nullify
God’s faithfulness?
certainly not!
Let God be true and every man a liar.
As it is written:
“So that You may be proved right
when You speak
and
victorious when You judge.”
But if our unrighteousness
highlights the righteousness of God,
what shall we say?
That God is unjust to inflict His wrath
on us?
I am speaking in human terms.
Certainly not!
In that case,
how could God judge the world?
however,
if my falsehood accentuates
God’s truthfulness,
to the
increase of His glory,
why am I still condemned as a sinner?
why not say, as some slanderously
claim that
we say, “Let us do evil that good may result”?
Their condemnation is deserved!
Righteousness through Faith in Christ
(Philippians 3:1–11)
But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets. And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
God presented Him as an atoning sacrifice in His blood through faith, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand. He did this to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and to justify the one who has faith in Jesus.
Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded.
On what principle?
On that of works? No, but on that of faith.
For we maintain that a man
is justified by
faith apart from works of the law.
Is God the God of Jews only?
Is He not
the God of Gentiles too?
Yes, of Gentiles too,
Since there is only one God, who will
justify the
circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised
through that same faith.
Do we, then, nullify the law by
this faith?
Certainly not!
Instead, we uphold the law.
First Corinthians 13:7
lists
four specific actions
that
love “always” performs.
The fourth and final one
is that
love “always perseveres”
or “endures all things”
(ESV).
There is a persistence to love,
even in the tough times.
The Greek word hupomenei
carries the
idea of “remaining” or “enduring.”
Love doesn’t quit or give up.
Love lasts.
The love spoken of in 1 Corinthians 13
is not a
fleeting romance or a fading feeling.
Instead, godly love always perseveres.
During good times and bad,
the love of God’s people endures
the challenges
of life and remains steadfast.
Jesus
modeled enduring love:
“Having loved his own who were
in the world,
he loved them to the end”
(John 13:1).
During His most difficult night,
He washed the feet of
His disciples
and prayed for them.
His love even endured
the cross
(Hebrews 12:2).
Earlier in his epistle, Paul had spoken to the Corinthian
believers
regarding endurance:
“When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure”
(1 Corinthians 4:12, ESV).
Such perseverance in the face of opposition can
only come from
the love of God rooted in the heart.
Endurance for the sake of endurance is not the
point of this teaching.
It is endurance motivated by love for God
and others.
“If you suffer for doing good
and you endure it,
this is commendable before God”
(1 Peter 2:20).
We are called to endure for what is right.
We must show love
whether or not it is convenient or easy.
A person with God’s type of love will consistently seek what is best for his loved one.
There is no fair-weather friendship in love.
It’s not an on-again, off-again proposition,
but a commitment to always
seek the highest good, no matter what adversity befalls.
In the description of love in 1 Corinthians 13, we find four things that love “always” does.
Love is not just an
idea;
it is action
The third action listed is that
love “always hopes” (NIV) or “hopes all things”
(ESV).
It’s nice to know that love is hopeful, but what
exactly does this mean?
The Greek word translated “hope” is from elpidzo, meaning
“to hope or wait for salvation with
joy and full confidence.”
Used 32 times in the New Testament, this word expresses
more than a
wish or desire, but a confident belief in the unseen.
Hebrews 11:1 says,
“Faith is being sure of what we hope
for and
certain of what we do not see.”
Faith, hope, and love
are often intimately connected
in Scripture
(see 1 Corinthians 13:13).
In Colossians 1:4-5
we find
the same combination
of faith, hope, and love:
“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”
(emphasis added).
Just as God is called “love” (1 John 4:8),
Jesus is called our “hope” (1 Timothy 1:1).
Hope not only concerns our belief in Christ but describes who He is to us. The hope within us is Christ Himself.
If He lives within us, His hope will be seen in how we treat others. Living with such an attitude reflects the way of Christ, leads to holy living, and brings glory to the Heavenly Father
(Matthew 5:17).
How many times
in the Old Testament did Israel
fail God?
Yet their failure was never final.
Love never says die.
Peter failed Jesus,
yet the Lord restored him.
The Corinthians failed
Paul in some ways, yet the apostle, in love,
patiently corrected
them and called them “sanctified”
(1 Corinthians 1:2).
Love always points to a brighter day ahead.
Love is the lifeline
that the hurting can hold on to.
If you have ever had a person believe in you and share a
hopeful attitude for your future,
then you have
experienced some of what 1 Corinthians 13:7 teaches.
As long as there is love, there will be hope.
The Greek word translated as “believes” is a form of the verb pisteuo, which means “to believe, place faith in, or trust.” The word is a common one, used 248 times in the New Testament. Many times, this word is found in contexts in which belief is an expression of love.
Those who love will always “believe” in the other person.
There is no second-guessing or questioning of whether
the person should be loved.
Love is simply given. It is unconditional.
The loved one
does not need to perform anything
or achieve
a certain goal in order to be loved.
Just as Christ
loves His children unconditionally,
He calls us to love others.
Love is based on who He is, not on
what others do.
Some scholars suggest this teaching of “love always trusts” is directly connected to Paul’s rebuke of lawsuits earlier in his letter. In chapter 6 we read of believers bringing lawsuits against one another in the local courts.
Love that “always trusts” would not do such a thing.
A person with God’s type of love will “always trust.” That is, he will not be suspicious of the one he loves.
If brothers and sisters in Christ would
believe
in one another,
setting suspicion aside and extending
unconditional love,
what a difference it would make
in the church!
When our focus is on Christ,
we can show His love to meet the
needs of others.
The final verse of 1 Corinthians 13 lists
three things
that will always remain:
faith (pistis), hope, and love.
The Christian need never be without
these gifts.
His nature is to believe and to love.
Unity in the Body
(Psalm 133:1–3; 1 Corinthians 1:10–17)
As a prisoner in the Lord,
then, I urge you to walk in a manner
worthy
of the calling you have received:
with all
humility and gentleness, with patience,
bearing with one
another in love, and with diligence to
preserve the unity
of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
There is one body and one Spirit,
just as you were
called to one hope when you were called;
one Lord, one faith,
one baptism; one God and Father of all,
who is over all and through all and in all.
Now to each one
of us grace has been given
according to
the measure of the gift of Christ.
This is why it says:
“When He ascended on high,
He led captives away,
and gave gifts to men.”
what does
“He ascended” mean,
except that He also descended
to the lower parts of the earth?
He who descended
is the very One who ascended
above all the heavens,
in order to fill all things.
And it was He who
gave some to be apostles,
some to
be prophets, some to be evangelists,
and some to be pastors and teachers,
To equip the saints for works of ministry
and to
build up the body of Christ,
Until we
all reach unity in the faith
and in the
knowledge of the Son of God,
as we mature to the
full measure of the stature of Christ.
Then we will no longer be infants,
tossed about by
the waves and carried around by
every wind of teaching and
by the clever
cunning of men in their deceitful scheming.
Instead, speaking the truth in love,
we will in all things grow up into Christ Himself,
who is the head.
From Him the whole body,
fitted and held together by every supporting
ligament, grows and builds itself up
in love through the work of each individual part.
