Lindsey Neal Photography + Fine Art - Prophets;

ARK Anew Jerusalem #ArkoftheCovenant #thegreatcommission #Tabernacle #anewlight #secondcoming #anewcreation #jesuschristisking #redemption #princeofpeace #revival #thykingdomcome #promiseland

Break Bread

1/12/2024

FROM THE SEE

Breaking Glass

Revelation 4:2-6Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne. And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads.read more.

Revelation 21:21

Verse ConceptsAnd the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

Revelation 21:15-18The one who spoke with me had a gold measuring rod to measure the city, and its gates and its wall. The city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as the width; and he measured the city with the rod, fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal. And he measured its wall, seventy-two yards, according to human measurements, which are also angelic measurements.read more.
From Thematic BibleGlass » Symbolical

Glass » Sea of

Glass » SymbolicalRevelation 21:21

Verse ConceptsAnd the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

Revelation 21:18
Verse ConceptsThe material of the wall was jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass.

Sea ofRevelation 15:2

Verse ConceptsAnd I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God.

Sea Of GlassRevelation 15:2

Verse ConceptsAnd I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God.
Related Topics

Transparency

2 more topics on Glass

January 01st, 2024

1/1/2024

Right

12/9/2023

"For the choir director. A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD, who spoke to the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said, .... 'The cords of death encompassed me, and the torrents of ungodliness terrified me. The cords of Sheol surrounded me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God for help; He heard my voice out of His temple, and my cry for help before Him came into His ears'" (Ps 18:0, 4-6). Judaism today insists that the Messiah son of David will not (did not) suffer and die. He will be a king who conquers Israel's enemies and establishes world-wide peace. And on this basis, they reject Jesus. Sadly, the image of the Messiah who is both a suffering servant and Davidic King goes completely undetected even though it is looking back at them every time they open the book of Psalms. In this Psalm, a song of victory, David describes horrible sufferings on his path to victory. David is even called the "servant of the LORD" in the superscription of this psalm, a title that reminds us of another Servant whose path to the kingdom brought him first through the valley of the shadow of death: the Servant of the LORD in Isaiah 52:13—53:12. The more I study David's life and his writings, the more clearly I see Jesus looking back at me in his reflection! "Afterward the sons of Israel will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king; and they will come trembling to the LORD and to His goodness in the last days" (Hos 3:5).

December 01st, 2023

12/1/2023

Hey SLOOP HANG on

11/30/2023

Hang on

Whom should I Fear? The Lord is my Lamp To my Way!

9/16/2023

"For the choir director.

A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD,

who spoke to the LORD the words of this song

in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand

of all his enemies

and from the hand of Saul. And he said, ....

'The cords of death encompassed me, and the

torrents of ungodliness terrified me.

The cords of Sheol surrounded me; the snares of death confronted me.

In my distress I called

upon the LORD, and cried to my God for help;

He heard my voice

out of His temple,

and my cry for help before Him

came into His ears'"

(Ps 18:0, 4-6). Judaism today insists that the

Messiah son of David will not (did not) suffer and die.

He will be a king who conquers Israel's enemies and

establishes world-wide peace.

And on this basis, they reject Jesus. Sadly, the

image of the Messiah who is both a suffering servant

and Davidic King goes completely undetected even though

it is looking back at them every time they

open the book of Psalms. In this Psalm, a song of victory,

David describes horrible sufferings on his path to victory.

David is even called the "servant of the LORD" in the

superscription of this psalm, a title that reminds us of

another Servant whose path to the kingdom brought

him first through the valley of the shadow of death: the

Servant of the LORD in Isaiah 52:13—53:12.

The more I study David's life and his writings,

the more clearly I see Jesus looking back

at me in his reflection! "Afterward

the sons of Israel will return and seek the LORD

their God and David their king;

and they will come trembling

to the LORD and to His goodness in the last days"

Hos 3:5

Psalm 27, a psalm written

by David,

is an example of Hebrew poetry.

One element of Hebrew poetry prominent in this psalm is a grammatical structure known as synonymous parallelism. For example, in the first verse of Psalm 27, the main idea and structure of the first line are synonymous with the idea and structure of the second, as shown below:

Line 1: The LORD

is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?

Line 2: The LORD

is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?

Both the first and second lines focus on the Lord. In the first line,

David describes the Lord as his

light and salvation.

In the second line, David describes the

Lord as his stronghold or refuge.

Both lines end with the same question phrased in a slightly different manner. This parallelism allows for a fuller understanding of the first line by looking at the immediate context of the second, and vice versa.

A stronghold or refuge was a place of protection during a time of siege. The farmers and workers outside of the city would be particularly susceptible to attack as they would have been outside the city walls’ protection (Nehemiah 2:17; cf. Joshua 6:1–21). So, those farmers and workers would run to the city for refuge and protection whenever battle came. Many cities also had a strong tower, which would have been an extra layer of defense. The strong tower would give protection to those within and allow those outside to identify the city’s location whenever a battle was imminent (see Proverbs 18:10).

This protection in the stronghold is

why David can ask the question in Psalm 27:1,

"Of whom shall I be afraid?”

Much like God is a stronghold for David, He is also

David’s light and salvation.

Light is utilized to see and be aware

of one’s surroundings amid the darkness.

The idea of “light” is often used

in Scripture as a metaphor

for one’s deliverance,

such as in Psalm 27:1. Whenever

Jesus makes the claim,

“I am the light of the world” (John 8:12),

He is claiming that deliverance

from darkness comes through Him.

Salvation, as seen in Psalm 27:1, can also be

thought of as deliverance.

David utilizes three terms to describe God as the Deliverer:

light, salvation, and stronghold.

If God is David’s Deliverer, whom should he fear?

According to the context of Psalm 27:1,

David seems to be describing

God as the Deliverer from physical enemies

(verses 2–3).

However, the Christian has also received salvation and

deliverance from his or her enemies. If you

have faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ

(1 Corinthians 15:3–5),

then God has bought you back or redeemed you.

He has transferred you from the domain or

authority of darkness to the kingdom of Jesus

(Colossians 1:13–14).

Through Christ’s provision,

the Christian has been

equipped for protection through the

“full armor of God” (Ephesians 6:10–17).

Much as David can proclaim

God is his

light and salvation

from the enemies surrounding him,

the Christian can claim God is his

light and salvation

from the domain

of darkness and eternal judgment

(Ephesians 2:1–10).

“For the wages of sin is death, but

the gift of God

is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”

(Romans 6:23).

John 40

9/16/2023

The Bible warns about people

like Arius

(c. AD 250—336),

a Christian priest from Alexandria, Egypt, who was
trained at Antioch in the early fourth century.

About AD 318, Arius accused Bishop Alexander of Alexandria

of subscribing to Sabellianism,

a false teaching that

asserted that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were

merely roles or modes assumed by God at various times.

Arius was determined to emphasize the oneness of God;

however, he went too far in his

teaching of God’s nature.

Arius denied the Trinity and introduced what

appeared on the surface

to be an inconsequential difference between

the Father and Son.

Arius argued that Jesus was not homoousios (“of the same essence”)

as the Father, but was rather homoiousios (“of similar essence”).

Only one Greek letter—the iota (ι)--separated the two.

Arius described his position in this manner:

"The Father existed before the Son.

There was a time when the Son did not exist.

Therefore, the Son was created by the Father.

Therefore, although the Son was the highest of all creatures,

he was not of the essence of God.”

Arius was clever and did his best to get the people on his side,

even going so far as to compose

little songs that taught his theology, which he tried to

teach to everyone who would listen. His winsome nature,

asceticism, and revered

position as a preacher also contributed

to his cause.

With respect to apostasy,

it is critical

that all Christians understand

two important things:

(1) how to recognize apostasy and apostate teachers, and

(2) why apostate teaching is so deadly.

The Forms of Apostasy

To fully identify

and combat apostasy, Christians should

understand

its various forms and the traits that

characterize

its doctrines and teachers.

As to the forms of apostasy, there are two main types:

(1) a falling away from key and true doctrines of the Bible

into heretical teachings that claim to be “the real”

Christian doctrine, and

(2) a complete renunciation of the Christian faith,

which results in a

full abandonment of Christ

Arius represents the first form of apostasy—a denial of

key Christian truths (such as the divinity of Christ in flesh)

that begins a downhill slide into a

full departure from the faith,

which is the second form of apostasy.

The second form almost always begins with the first.

A heretical belief

becomes a heretical teaching

that splinters and grows

until it pollutes all aspects of a person’s faith,

and then the end goal of Satan is accomplished,

which is a complete

falling away from Christianity.

A 2010 study by Daniel Dennett and Linda LaScola called

“Preachers Who Are Not Believers.”

Dennett and LaScola’s work chronicles

five different preachers who over time were presented

with and accepted heretical teachings about Christianity

and now have completely fallen away from the faith.

These pastors are either pantheists or clandestine atheists.

One of the most

disturbing truths highlighted

in the study is that these

preachers maintain

their position as pastors

of Christian churches

with their congregations being

unaware of their

leader’s true spiritual state.

The Characteristics of Apostasy and Apostates

Jude was the half brother of Jesus and a leader in the early church. In his New Testament letter, he outlines how to recognize apostasy and strongly urges those in the body of Christ to contend earnestly for the faith (Jude 1:3).

The Greek word translated “contend earnestly”

is a compound verb from which

we get the word agonize.

It is in the present infinitive form, which means that

the struggle will be continuous.

In other words, Jude says that there will be a

constant fight against

false teaching

and that

Christians should take it

so seriously

that we “agonize” over the fight in

which we are engaged.

Moreover, Jude makes it

clear that every Christian

is called to this fight, not just church leaders,

so it is critical that all believers

sharpen their discernment skills so that they

can recognize and

prevent apostasy in their midst.

After urging his readers

to contend earnestly for the faith,

Jude highlights the reason:

“For certain persons have crept in unnoticed,

those who were long beforehand

marked

out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who

turn the grace of our God

into licentiousness and

deny our only Master and Lord,

Jesus Christ”

(Jude 1:4).

In this one verse, Jude provides Christians with

three traits of apostasy and apostate teachers:

First, Jude says that apostasy can be subtle.

Apostates have “crept” into the church.

The word literally means

“slip in sideways; come in stealthily; sneak in.”

In other words, Jude says it is

rare that apostasy begins in an overt

and easily detectable manner.

Instead, it looks a lot like Arius’s doctrine--

only a single letter, the iota,

differentiates the false teaching from

the true.

Describing this aspect of apostasy and its underlying danger,

A. W. Tozer wrote,

“So skilled is error

at imitating truth, that the two

are constantly

being mistaken for each another.

It takes a sharp eye these days to know which brother is Cain and which is Abel.”

The apostle Paul also speaks to the

outwardly pleasing

behavior of apostates and

their teaching:

“For such men are false apostles,

deceitful workers,

disguising themselves as

apostles of Christ.

No wonder, for even Satan

disguises

himself as an angel of light”

(2 Corinthians 11:13–14).

In other words,

do not look for

apostates to appear bad

on the outside

or speak dramatic words of

heresy at the outset of their teaching.

Rather than

denying truth outright, apostates

will twist

it to fit their own agenda,

but, as pastor R. C. Lensky has noted,

"The worst forms of wickedness

consist in perversions of the truth.”

Second, Jude describes

apostates as “ungodly” and as

those who use

God’s grace as a license to commit

unrighteous acts.

Beginning with “ungodly,”

Jude describes eighteen unflattering traits of apostates:

they are ungodly (Jude 1:4), morally perverted (verse 4),

denying Christ (verse 4),

ones who defile the flesh (verse 8), rebellious (verse 8),

people who revile angels (verse 8),

who are ignorant about God (verse 8),

those who proclaim false visions (verse 10),

self-destructive (verse 10), grumblers (verse 16),

faultfinders (verse 16),

self-satisfying (verse 16),

people who use arrogant words and false flattery (verse 16),

mockers of God (verse 18), those who cause divisions (verse 19),

worldly minded (verse 19), and

finally (and not surprisingly),

devoid of the Spirit/unsaved

(verse 19).

Third, Jude says apostates

“deny our only Master and

Lord, Jesus Christ.”

How do apostates do this? Paul tells us in his letter to Titus,

"To the pure, all things are pure; but to those

who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure,

but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.

They profess to know God,

but by their

deeds they deny Him,

being detestable and disobedient and
worthless for any good deed”
(Titus 1:15–16).

Through their unrighteous behavior, the apostates

show their true selves.

Unlike an apostate, a true believer is someone who

has been delivered from sin to righteousness in Christ

and who refuses to continue in sin (Romans 6:1–2).

Ultimately, the sign of an apostate

is that he

eventually falls away and departs

from the truth of

God’s Word
and

His righteousness

The apostle John signifies this is a mark of a false believer:

"They went out from us, but they

were not really of us;

for if they had been of us, they would

have remained with us;

but they went out, so that it would be

shown that they all are not of us”

(1 John 2:19).

Ideas Have Consequences

Every New Testament book except Philemon contains warnings about false teaching. Why is this? Simply because ideas have consequences. Right thinking and its fruit produce goodness, whereas wrong thinking and its accompanying action result in undesired penalties. As an example, the Cambodian killing fields in the 1970s were the product of the nihilistic worldview of Jean Paul Sartre and his teaching. The Khmer Rouge’s leader, Pol Pot, lived out Sartre’s philosophy toward the people in a clear and frightening way, which was articulated in this manner: “To keep you is no benefit. To destroy you is no loss.”

Satan did not come to the first couple in the Garden with an external armament or visible weapon; instead, he came to them with an idea. And it was that idea, embraced by Adam and Eve, that

condemned them and the rest of humankind,

with the only remedy

being the

sacrificial death of God’s Son.

The great tragedy is that,

knowingly or unknowingly,

the

apostate teacher dooms his unsuspecting

followers.

Speaking to His disciples

about the

religious leaders of His day,

Jesus said,

“Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind.

And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit”

(Matthew 15:14, emphasis added).

Alarmingly, it is not only

false teachers who go to destruction,

but their

disciples follow them there.

"For it has never yet been known to fail that one fool,

when he goes astray,

takes several others with him.”

Conclusion

In AD 325, the Council of Nicea convened primarily to take up the issue of Arius and his teaching. Much to Arius’s dismay, the end result was his excommunication and a statement in the

Nicene Creed that affirms Christ’s divinity:

“We believe in one God, the Father Almighty,

maker of all things visible and invisible;

and in one

Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God,

the only-begotten of his Father, of the substance of the Father,

God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God,

begotten not made,

being of one substance with the Father.”

Arius may have died centuries ago, but his spiritual children
are still with us to this day in

the form of cults like and others who

deny Christ’s true essence and person.

Sadly, until

Christ returns and every last spiritual enemy

has been removed,

tares such as these will be present

among the wheat

(Matthew 13:24–30)

In fact, Scripture says apostasy will

only get worse

as Christ’s return approaches.

"At that time [the latter days] many

will fall away

and will betray one another and hate one another”

(Matthew 24:10).

Paul told the

Thessalonians that a great

falling away

would precede Christ’s second coming

(2 Thessalonians 2:3)

and that the

end times would be characterized

by tribulation and hollow

religious charlatans:

“But realize this, that in the

last days

difficult times will come.

For men will be . . . holding to a form of godliness,

although they have denied

its power; avoid such men as these”

(2 Timothy 3:1–2, 5).

It is critical, now more than ever, that every believer

pray for discernment, combat apostasy, and

contend earnestly for the faith

that was once and for all delivered to the saints.

Death to Life

9/15/2023

The phrase the mystery of

godliness,

found in 1 Timothy 3:16, is part of an introduction to an ancient hymn. In the English Standard Version, the verse reads this way: “Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.” Other translations speak of “the mystery from which true godliness springs” (NIV) and “the great mystery of our faith” (NLT). The words that follow in 1 Timothy 3:16explain the mystery of godliness: God became flesh and lived among us (cf. John 1:1, 14).

The Greek word musterion (“mystery”), when used in

the New Testament, refers to the

things of God

that were once hidden

but were later

revealed through Christ

and the

coming of the Holy Spirit

(Acts 2:4).

A mystery is that which can

only be known

through the revelation of God

(Romans 16:25–26; Colossians 1:26–27).

It is something that in times past had been hidden but is

now revealed to God’s people.

Jesus spoke of

"the mystery of the kingdom of God”

(Mark 4:11, NAS) that He was at that time revealing to His disciples. The apostle Paul used the word mystery 21 times in his epistles: the

mystery of God (Colossians 2:2), the

mystery of faith (1 Timothy 3:9), the

mystery of iniquity (2 Thessalonians 2:7), etc.

In each case,

the “mystery” involved a

declaration of spiritual truth,

revealed by God

through divine inspiration.

The New English Translation

of 1 Timothy 3:16

speaks of the mystery of

godliness

as an “amazing revelation”

concerning our faith.

The Greek word translated

“godliness”

in most English translations means

“a proper response to the

things of God,

which produces obedience and

righteous living.”

As He walked this earth,

Jesus was the embodiment of

pure godliness,

which led Him to lay down

His life for unworthy sinners

(John 10:18).

His life was dedicated to the glory of the Father,

and He always did what pleased Him (John 8:29).

Christians pursue godliness when we follow

the example of Jesus in

dedicating every decision to the glory of God

(1 Corinthians 10:31). Godliness is not a suggestion; it is a command (1 Peter 1:15–16; Hebrews 12:14).

The mystery of godliness is the heart of the Christian faith. The hymn that Paul records in 1 Timothy 3:16 contains a summation of Jesus’ ministry.

The godliness of God’s Son is now to be reflected in us.

Christianity is not a system of

rules and actions

that must be performed to appease a deity.

At the heart of

Christianity is the mystery of godliness—the

fact that God

took on human flesh to live among

the people He created

(Philippians 2:5–11). As a Son, Jesus remained completely obedient to His Father in heaven and then offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice in our place (John 10:18; Hebrews 4:15; 2 Corinthians 5:21).

God then raised Him from the dead, thereby

conquering death for all who trust in Him

(Matthew 28:6; 1 Corinthians 15:3–7, 13–14, 55).

Because Jesus took our place, sinful humans

may be declared righteous before God and

be “born again”

(John 3:3)

The new birth

is spiritual and results in a

change of heart

that

produces true godliness

(2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 John 3:8–10).

How a life is transformed

is the mystery of godliness and is

comprehended only through the

revelation of God in Christ.

“Beyond all question, the mystery

from which

true godliness springs is great”

(1 Timothy 3:16).

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.

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).

Go all in!

9/14/2023

Until the Fullness of Truth, then the times are fulfilled

9/12/2023

Those who love God can trust His goodness,

His power, and His will to work out all things for our good.

We journey together

with Him

The promise that God works all things together for good does not mean that all things, taken by themselves, are good. Some things and events are decidedly bad. But God is able to work them together for good.

He sees the big picture;

He has a master plan.

Neither does the promise that God

works all things together for good mean we will

acquire all that we want or desire.

Romans 8:28 is about

God’s goodness and our confidence that

His plan will work out as

He sees fit.

Since His plan is always good, Christians can take confidence that, no matter our circumstances or environments, God is active and will conclude things according to His good and wise design. With this knowledge we can learn to be content

(see Philippians 4:11).

Paul’s life is another testament

to how God works all things together for good.

Paul suffered shipwrecks,

beatings, imprisonment, murder attempts,

temporary blindness, and more—all within

God’s plan to spread the gospel

(see Acts 9:16 and 2 Corinthians 11:24–27).

Through it all, God

was steadfastly working to bring about

good and glorious results.

After promising that God

works all things together for our good,

Romans 8 concludes with the wonderful fact that
God trumps everything that comes against Him and those
who belong to Him. The Christian is assured that
nothing can ever separate us from God’s love:

"Who shall separate us from the

love of Christ?

Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or

famine or nakedness or

danger or sword? . . .

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 demons, 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”

(Romans 8:35–39).

God’s love is everlasting, and His wisdom is infinite.

It doesn’t matter who or what attempts to thwart

God’s plan; no one and nothing can.

God will work all things together

for the good of those who love Him.

Our decision to align our will with God’s and

to always trust Him will be rewarded.

Firmament

the heavens or the sky,

especially when regarded as a

tangible thing

"thunder shakes the firmament"

On the second day of creation (Genesis 1:7–8), God created the sky, which is described in the Bible as an “expanse” (ESV), “vault” (NIV), or “firmament” (KJV). The Lord had already created water on the first day of creation, but then He separates “water from water” with the vault on the second day. Displaying His power, God spoke the sky into being: “And God said, ‘Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters’” (Genesis 1:6, ESV).

The Hebrew word for “expanse” is raqia, which can refer to an “extended surface” or the “(apparently) visible arch of the sky” (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance). In Genesis 1:6, the expanse that God created serves the purpose of dividing the water “under” the vault from the water “above” it. This seems to be an allusion to the water cycle: terrestrial (and subterranean) water exists below the sky, while water vapor and water in the form of clouds rise “above,” separated from the surface water by an expanse of air. Later, on the fourth day of creation, God places “lights in the vault of the sky” (Genesis 1:14). This is a simple description of how the sun, moon, and stars appear in the sky.

The canopy theory holds that the Bible’s reference to waters “above” the vault indicates that at one time there existed a canopy of water enveloping the earth above the atmosphere. This water, whether in solid, liquid, or gaseous form, remained in place until the cataclysm of Noah’s day, at which point “the floodgates of the heavens were opened” (Genesis 7:11), and the canopy collapsed upon the earth. According to the canopy theory, the layer of water above the firmament provided warmth to the earth’s inhabitants, filtered out harmful radiation, and contributed to the longevity of humans before Noah’s flood.

Regardless of one’s view of the waters above the expanse of sky,

God’s power was on full display on the second day of creation. As on the other days of creation, the Lord commands things into existence, stating, “Let there be.” Every time we look up at the sky, we have

a reminder of

God’s vast wisdom and power.

Beast of the SEA

The book of Revelation contains an apocalyptic vision of two beasts emerging from the sea and land to take control of the world. It’s in this vision (in Revelation 13) that the image of the beast is first mentioned.

The first beast is a ten-horned, seven-headed monstrosity empowered and given authority by a dragon (Revelation 13:1–2). One of the heads is mortally wounded but is healed (verse 3).

The beast is blasphemous against God

and actively persecutes God’s people on earth (verses 5–7). It not only rules the world but receives the worship of the world’s inhabitants (verses 4, 7–8). The first beast is a symbolic
picture of the Antichrist, and the dragon is Satan (cf. Revelation 12:9).

The second beast is a two-horned, deceptively benign creature that shares authority with the first beast (Revelation 13:11–12). The task of the second beast is to cause everyone to worship the first beast. As the second beast deceives the world with miracles, it orders that everyone “set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived” (verse 14). It also requires that everyone receive the mark of the beast in their forehead or right hand (verses 16–17). The second beast is a symbolic picture of the false prophet.

The Bible does not provide many details concerning the image of the beast. We know this, however: the false prophet will have “power to give breath to the image of the first beast so that the image could speak” (Revelation 13:15). This breathing, speaking image of the beast will then demand worship. Anyone who refuses to worship the image of the beast will be killed. Revelation 20:4says that the mode of execution for those who do not worship the image of the beast is beheading.

It is likely that the image of the

beast is the “abomination that causes desolation” in

the rebuilt temple, mentioned in Daniel 9:27 and Matthew 24:15.

What exactly is the nature of the image of the beast?

Whatever it is, the image of the beast is the focal point of worship in the “religion of the beast” during the second half of the tribulation.

Bowing to the image of the beast

is how the deceived people of the world will

worship the “man of lawlessness” (2 Thessalonians 2:3)

who sets himself up as a god in the

temple of Jerusalem

(2 Thessalonians 2:4).

Those who do not worship the image of the beast will suffer the wrath of the Antichrist. But those who do worship the image of the beast will suffer the wrath of God, which is far worse: “If anyone worships the beast and its image . . . they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath.

They will be tormented with burning sulfur. . . . And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image” (Revelation 14:9–11). The first of God’s bowl judgments is aimed specifically at the worshipers of the image of the beast: “The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly, festering sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image” (Revelation 16:2).

Those who refuse to bow the knee to the Antichrist and the image of the beast may be persecuted on earth, but they will be rewarded in heaven: “I saw what looked like a sea of glass glowing with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and its image and over the number of its name. They held harps given them by God and sang” (Revelation 15:2–3). The image of the beast is front-and-center in the nightmarish kingdom of Satan, but it will not last. The Bible specifies forty-two months, or three-and-a-half years, that the Antichrist will have worldwide influence (Revelation 13:5). After that, the image of the beast will be destroyed, the two beasts will be thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 19:20), Satan will be bound (Revelation 20:1–3), and the Lord Jesus will establish His unending kingdom of perfection (Isaiah 9:7; Luke 1:32–33).

The Olivet Discourse

is the name given to the orderly and extended teaching given by Jesus Christ on the Mount of Olives. His subject is the end times. This discourse is recorded in Matthew 24:1 – 25:46. Parallel passages are found in Mark 13:1-37 and Luke 21:5-36. The record in Matthew is the most extensive, so reference here will be to Matthew’s Gospel.

It is important to recognize that Jesus’ teaching in this discourse is in reference to Israel and not the Church. Christ was speaking of God’s future program for Israel. Other passages to consider when studying the Olivet Discourse are Daniel 9:24-27 and Revelation 6:1–19:21, which refer to the future seven-year period called the tribulation. God’s program for the Church concludes with the rapture, which is not taught in the Olivet Discourse. The rapture of the Church is found in John 14:1-4; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.

In Matthew 23, Jesus had spoken to the Pharisees concerning judgment. This can be seen in the "woe" statements in that chapter. In 24:1, Jesus was leaving the temple when the disciples called His attention to the magnificent buildings on the temple mount. Jesus then tells the disciples that “not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down” (verse 2). This prophecy was literally fulfilled in A.D. 70 when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem. The temple was burned. The gold in the temple melted in the fire and ran down into the cracks between the stones. As people later searched for the gold, they toppled every stone from its place. This destruction of Jerusalem was but a foreshadowing of what is yet to come.

Jesus’ prophecy of doom got the disciples curious, and probably more than a little concerned. When they were alone with Jesus on the Mount of Olives, they asked Him, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" (verse 3). What follows in Matthew 24–25 refers to the future, seven-year tribulation period and the second coming of Christ at the end of the tribulation. During that time, God will complete His chastisement and purification of Israel and judge the whole world (Daniel 9:24-27; Revelation 6–19).

Daniel 9:27 indicates that the tribulation will be divided into two equal parts. Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 24:4-8 refers to the first half. The “birth pangs” (verse 8) refer to the sufferings that Israel will experience during the first 3 1/2 years. The signs with reference to the end of the age are the coming of false messiahs (verse 5), the threat of wars and widespread conflict (verses 6-7), and various natural catastrophes (verse 7).

Revelation 6 is a parallel passage. The apostle John writes of the seal judgments. Revelation 6:2 speaks of a rider on a white horse, which refers to a false messiah called elsewhere the Antichrist and the Beast. Revelation 6:4 says that peace is taken from the earth. Revelation 6:6-8 speaks of famine and death. Jesus said these things are only the “beginning of birth pangs” (Matthew 24:8). Worse is yet to come.

In Revelation 13, the second half of the tribulation begins when the Beast, or Antichrist, sets up his rule for 42 months (cf. Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15).

In the Olivet Discourse, the second half of the tribulation is described in Matthew 24:9-14. Persecution of the Jews and death (verse 9) will be the result of the Beast’s rise to power. The Antichrist will also persecute anyone who refuses to follow him (Revelation 13:1-18). The salvation promised in Matthew 24:13 is deliverance from the Beast’s persecution. The one who endures until Christ returns will be saved from the Beast. Jesus says that “this gospel of the kingdom” will be preached worldwide before the end comes. In other words, the good news (gospel) will be available during the tribulation; the message will be that Christ will soon return in judgment to set up His earthly kingdom (Revelation 20:4-6). This message will cause many people to realize their sinful state and receive the Savior during the tribulation.

Matthew 24:15-26 gives further details concerning the tribulation. Jesus refers to an “abomination” and desolation of a future temple in Matthew 24:15-22; this is more clearly spoken of in Luke 21:20-24. The Beast will take authority and set up an image of himself in the future temple (Daniel 9:27; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4; Revelation 13:1-18). When this happens, Jesus says, head for the hills. Those in Jerusalem are advised to flee for their lives when they see that the Beast has taken his seat of authority (Matthew 24:16-20). The Antichrist will rule from Jerusalem for 42 months (3 1/2 years), the latter half of the tribulation, called the “great tribulation” in verse 21.

Jesus warns that the great tribulation will be the worst time ever seen on earth (verse 21). In fact, if those days were not cut short by the return of Christ, no one would survive (compare the bowl judgments in Revelation 16).

Jesus again gives a

warning of false prophets

in the

last days

(Matthew 24:23-28).

At the end of the tribulation, there will be astronomical upheaval

(verse 29), and the nations of the world will see the Christ “coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory” (verses 29-30).

Those who were saved during the tribulation will be

gathered out of the world by the angels (verse 31).

Jesus emphasizes the facts that there will be signs leading up to the day of judgment (Matthew 24:32-34) and that His Word is sure (verse 35). Jesus says that no one knows the timing of these events and that those upon whom judgment is coming will be caught unawares (verses 36-44).

Jesus ends the Olivet Discourse

with

four parables

The first one concerns a wicked servant whose master punishes him upon his return home (Matthew 24:45-51). The next, the Parable of the Ten Virgins, encourages readiness and watchfulness (25:1-13). The third parable, relating the story

of three servants and their use (or misuse)

of finances,

teaches faithfulness in view of the fact that

God’s servants must give an account of

themselves one day

(25:14-30).

Jesus ends His discourse by telling the

Parable of the Sheep and Goats,

which pictures the dividing of the

saved from the unsaved

at the end of the tribulation

before the

commencement of Christ’s millennial reign

(25:31-46).

Within days of the Olivet Discourse,

Jesus was betrayed

into the hands of unbelievers and

crucified for sinners.

The HOLY ONE of God

will one day return

in GLORY to judge the world,

but FIRST He had to provide

THE WAY

of salvation for all who would

TRUST in HIM

In Acts 8:12

we read of a group of

Samaritans who “believed Philip as

he proclaimed the

Good News of the kingdom of God

and the name of

Jesus Christ,

[and] they were baptized, both men and women.”

However, when we get to Acts 8:16,

we find that

“the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them;

they had simply

been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.”

We understand, based on passages such as 1 Corinthians 12:13,

that Christians receive the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation.

How was it that the Samaritans whom

Philip evangelized did not receive the Holy Spirit?

First, it is good to remember the book of

Acts is a history of how God started the church.

It is the record of the transition between the

Old Covenant and the New Covenant,

and much of what we see in Acts relates to that transition.

The Samaritans’ manner of receiving the Spirit should be

taken for what it is--

an accurate account of what happened in their case.

It should not be construed as normative in every case.

The believing Samaritans had been baptized in water, but,

for God’s own reasons,

they had not yet been baptized in the Spirit.

Second, we should note that the Spirit did come upon the Samaritans

(Acts 8:14–17),

but not until the apostles

Peter and John were present.

There are some

good reasons why God waited until

Peter and John were present

before He sent the Holy Spirit upon

the Samaritans:

1) Jesus had given Peter the “keys to the kingdom”

(Matthew 16:19).

Peter was present—and was the main spokesman—at

Pentecost (Acts 2),

when the Spirit was given to the Jews.

Peter was present in Samaria (Acts 8),

when the Spirit was given to the Samaritans.

And Peter was present in Cornelius’s house (Acts 10), when

the Spirit was given to the Gentiles.

Jesus used Peter to “open the door” to

each of these people groups.

2) The church was to be “built on the foundation

of the

apostles and prophets”

(Ephesians 2:20).

Philip the evangelist had been a

deacon in the

Jerusalem church,

but he was not one of the

twelve apostles

Peter and John

needed to be in Samaria for

the “official” start

of the Samaritan church, just as they had been

in Jerusalem

for the start of the Jewish church.

3) The presence of Peter and John kept the early church unified.

Remember, there was great animosity

between Jews and Samaritans (John 4:9).

If the church in Samaria had begun on its own, with no connection to the “Jewish” church, the church in Jerusalem would never have accepted it.

The Samaritans were known

historically as corruptors of Judaism

(John 4:20).

So God made sure that

Peter and John, apostles and Jews from Jerusalem,

were present to witness

the gift of the Spirit given to the Samaritans.

God’s message:

the church in Samaria was no heretical start-up.

The Samaritans were part of the same church

that had been started in Jerusalem,

and they were filled with the same Spirit

(see Galatians 3:28).

Peter and John were eyewitnesses.

Their testimony was clear:

what happened in

Samaria was not a separate religious movement.

In this way,

God prevented the early church

from immediately dividing into different sects.

The Lord took pains to ensure the

unity of the early church.

Jesus had commanded the gospel to be preached in Samaria

(Acts 1:8).

Philip the evangelist obeyed that command, and God blessed.

Whatever animosity

existed between the Jews and the Samaritans

was

overcome by the unity of the Spirit.

But when he,

the Spirit of truth, comes,

he will

guide you into all truth

He will not speak on his own; he will speak

only what he hears, and he will tell you what is

yet to come.

He will bring glory to me by

taking from

what is mine and making it

known to you.

All that belongs to the Father is mine.

The church today should continue to

“make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit

through the bond of peace”

(Ephesians 4:3).

The Bible has a lot to say about being an overcomer.

The term overcomer is especially prominent in the

book of Revelation,

where Jesus encourages His people to

remain steadfast through trials

(Revelation 2:26; 3:21; 21:7).

First John 5:4–5 says,

“For whatever is BORN of God

overcomes the world;

and this is the victory that has overcome the

world—our FAITH

Who is the one who overcomes the world,

but he who

BELIEVES that Jesus is the

Son of God?”

Over-comers

are followers of Christ

who successfully

resist the power and temptation of

the world’s system

An overcomer is not sinless, but

holds fast to

FAITH in CHRIST until the END.

He does not turn away when

times get difficult

or become an apostate.

Overcoming requires

COMPLETE

dependence upon God for

direction,

purpose, fulfillment,

and strength to

follow His plan for our lives

(Proverbs 3:5–6; 2 Corinthians 12:9)

The Greek word most often translated “overcomer” stems from the word nike which, according to Strong’s Concordance, means “to carry off the victory. The verb implies a battle.” The Bible teaches Christians to recognize that the world is a battleground, not a playground. God does not leave us defenseless. Ephesians 6:11–17 describes the armor of the Lord available to all believers. Scattered throughout this narrative is the admonition to “stand firm.” Sometimes all it takes to

overcome temptation is to stand firm and

refuse be dragged into it.

James 4:7 says,

"Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

The apostle Paul wrote eloquently of overcoming

in Romans 8:35–39.

He summarizes the power believers have through the

Holy Spirit

to overcome any attacks of the enemy.

“In all these things we are more than

conquerors through him who loved us.”

Overcoming is often equated with enduring.

Jesus encouraged

those who followed Him

to “endure to the end”

(Matthew 24:13).

A true disciple of Christ

is one who endures

through trials by

the power of the Holy Spirit.

An overcomer clings to Christ,

no matter how

high the cost of discipleship.

Hebrews 3:14 says, “

We have come to

share in Christ,

if indeed we hold our original

conviction

firmly to the very end.”

In the book of Revelation,

Jesus promised great reward to those

who overcome.

Overcomers are promised

that they will

eat from the Tree of Life (2:7),

be unharmed by the second death (2:11),

eat from hidden manna and be

given anew name (2:17),

have

authority over the nations (2:26),

be

clothed in white garments (3:5),

be made a

permanent pillar in the house of God (3:12),

and

sit with Jesus on His throne (3:21).

Jesus warned that holding fast to Him

would not be easy,

but it would be well worth it.

In Mark 13:13 He says,

“You will be hated by all for

my name’s sake.

But the one who

endures to the end will be saved”

We have the guarantee of Jesus that, if we are His,

we will be able to endure

to the end

and His rewards will make it all worthwhile.

Matthew 6:24-26

“No one can serve two masters;

for either he will hate the one and love the other,

or he will be

devoted to the one and despise the other

You cannot serve God and mammon

money, possessions, fame, status, or

whatever is

valued more than the Lord.

The Great Apostasy

is a concept within Christianity to describe a perception

that mainstream Christian Churches

have fallen

away from the original

faith founded by

Jesus and promulgated through

his

Twelve Apostles

The term is derived from the

Second Epistle to the Thessalonians,

in which the

Apostle Paul informs the Christians of Thessalonica

that a great apostasy must occur

before the return of Christ, when

"the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction"

(chapter 2:1–12)

The Catholic Church, Lutheran Church, Eastern-and

Oriental Orthodox Churches have interpreted this chapter

as referring to a future

falling-away,

during the reign of the Antichrist at the

end of time.

John 17:16-17

"They are not of the world,

just as

I am not of the WORLD

Sanctify them in the truth;

your

WORD is TRUTH.”

Then you will KNOW the

TRUTH,

and

the TRUTH will set you FREE.”

The phrase “word of God”

appears often in the Bible and can have a slightly

different meaning depending

on context and the Hebrew or Greek word used.

John 1:1-2 says,

"In the beginning

was

the Word

And the Word was with God and

the

Word was God

He was in the beginning with God.” Here,

Word is a title of the Lord Jesus

The term translated

“Word” is logos, which basically means

“The expression of a thought.”

Logos can be thought of as the

TOTAL

Message of God to Man

(Acts 11:1; 1 Thessalonians 2:13).

Jesus embodied that total message,

and that is why

He is CALLED the “Logos,” or “Word,” of God

(Colossians 1:19; 2:9).

Logos is also used many times when referring

to the

written Message of God

(John 17:17; 1 Timothy 4:5; Revelation 1:2; Colossians 1:25). Hebrews 4:12 says,

"The word of God is alive and active. Sharper

than any double-edged sword, it penetrates

even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow;

it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

Jesus showed a link between the

Written Word of God and Himself,

in that

He is the subject of the written Word:

"You study the Scriptures diligently because you think

that in them you have eternal life.

These are the very

Scriptures

that

Testify about ME”

(John 5:39).

Another Greek word used for “word” is rhema. Rhema refers to the actual spoken/written words of God (Hebrews 6:5).

When Jesus was being tempted by Satan, He answered,

“Man does not live by bread alone,

but

by every WORD [rhema]

that

Proceeds from the Mouth of God”

Matthew 4:4)

We are told in Ephesians 6:17 to “take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word [rhema] of God.” Jesus demonstrated we need the actual recorded words of God to overcome Satan’s attacks.

The phrase “word of God” means more than the printed words on a page. God is a communicator and has been speaking into the human realm

since the beginning.

He speaks through His creation (Psalm 19:1),

through ancient prophets

(Hosea 12:10; Hebrews 1:1), through

the Holy Spirit (John 16:13; Acts 16:6),

through Scripture (Hebrews 4:12), and

through the

Person of His Son, Jesus Christ

(John 14:9).

We can learn to know

God better by seeking to

Hear Him

in every way that He speaks.

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 Great Apostasy

and

The Rebellion are almost certainly

the same thing

In Matthew 24, in the middle section of what is generally

known as The Olivet Discourse,

Jesus appears to refer to some kind of great,

end times apostasy. He says:

“And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many

false prophets will arise and

lead many astray.

And because lawlessness will be increased, the

love of many will grow cold.

But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed

throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations,

and then the end will come.”

(Matthew 24:10–14 ESV)

This appears to be the background for the

Apostle Paul’s teaching in 2 Thessalonians 2

'the rebellion”

that must

take place just prior to the

return of Christ.

He says:

“Now concerning the

coming of our Lord Jesus Christ

and our being

gathered together to him,

we ask you, brothers,

not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed,

either by a spirit or a spoken word,

or a letter seeming to be from us,

to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.

Let no one deceive you in

any way.

For that day will not come,

unless

the rebellion comes first”

(2 Thessalonians 2:1–3 ESV)

In 2 Thessalonians 2:3 Paul uses the Greek word

apostasia which can be translated

as “apostasy”, “falling away”,

“betrayal” or “rebellion”

as here in the ESV.

Thus, it seems reasonable to assume that we are

talking about the same event.

The Great Apostasy happens

inside the

visible or

institutional church

The Great Apostasy

refers to a

significant falling away

from

the Christian faith

This isn’t a rebellion against the

government by unbelievers,

this is a rebellion against Christian

belief and practice,

by previously

believing and associating people.

This appears to be the near consensus of most reformed and evangelical scholars. Anthony Hoekema for example says here:

“The apostasy will occur within

the ranks of the

members of the visible church.”

G.K. Beal argues similarly:

“The point Paul appears to be making

is that the visible church community,

within which true saints exist,

will become so apostate that it will be dominantly filled

with people who profess to be Christian but really are not.

The church will continue to profess to be Christian

but most in it

will actually not be true believers.”⁠

The Great Apostasy

appears to function

as an end times trigger

In both Matthew 24 and 2 Thessalonians 2 this

Great Apostasy

is associated

with events immediately

Prior to the

Second Coming of Christ.

Jesus says:

“And then many will

fall away and betray one another

and hate one another….

And this GOSPEL of the kingdom

will be

PROCLAIMED throughout

the

WHOLE WORLD

as a

TESTIMONY to all NATIONS,

and THEN the END will COME

(Matthew 24:10–14 ESV)

In the portion of 2 Thessalonians cited above Paul

said that the

“the rebellion comes first”

2 Thessalonians 2:3

He then goes on to talk about how:

“the lawless one will be revealed, whom the

Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and

bring to nothing

by the appearance of his coming.”

(2 Thessalonians 2:8 ESV)

Thus, in both accounts, the Great Apostasy,

along with the

actions of its main character, the Man of Lawlessness,

will immediately precede the coming of the Lord.

In fact, Jesus, in the Olivet Discourse,

immediately moves from his description of this

time period,

including the statement,

“and then the end will come”, to

declare in the following verse:

“So when you see the abomination of desolation

spoken of by the prophet Daniel,

standing in the holy place

(let the reader understand),

then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.”

Matthew 24:15–16

Clearly these events will follow some sort of

well-established pattern such

that Bible readers and sign watchers

will be able to discern that the

end is at hand

and take

appropriate precautions. In the immediate context,

in terms of

The Olivet Discourse,

this refers to the

siege and destruction of Jerusalem,

but within the

Discourse,

that event serves as an interpretive

lens for anticipating

the

Great and Final Birth Pangs

that

Usher in the End

Thus, it is the Great Apostasy itself and the

actions of its main character

the

Man of Lawlessness that

immediately precede

and in some sense precipitate, the

ultimate end

The Great Apostasy is associated

with

“The Man of Lawlessness”

In 2 Thessalonians 2

The Rebellion is closely associated with the

Man of Lawlessness. Paul says:

“Let no one

deceive you in any way.

For that day will not come,

unless the rebellion comes first,

and the man of lawlessness is revealed,

the son of destruction,

who opposes and exalts himself

against every so-called god

or object of worship, so that he takes his

seat

in the

temple of God,

proclaiming himself to be God.”

(2 Thessalonians 2:3–4 ESV)

There is some debate among scholars and commentators as to the precise meaning of the word “and” in verse 3. Is Paul saying that The Rebellion is caused by the Man of Lawlessness? Or does he emerge within and perhaps because of The Rebellion? What is the relationship between the

man and the moment?

The grammar itself is not definitive and therefore it is probably simplest and safest to say that the two are connected, though distinct. The season is wider and broader than merely the actions of one man – but the season is characterized and at some point, dominated by, the

actions of this seminal character.

The Man of Lawlessness appears to be another name for the Antichrist

The majority of authors and commentators treat the terms “Man of Lawlessness” and “Antichrist” as interchangeable. Sam Storms for example, in his book Kingdom Come, gives the 17th chapter the title, “The Antichrist in Biblical Eschatology: A Study of 2 Thessalonians 2”. This despite the fact that the term “the Antichrist” is never used in 2 Thessalonians 2. In that passage Paul refers only to “the Man of Lawlessness”. In Storms’ mind however, as in the mind of most New Testament scholars, the terms are interchangeable.
The term “Antichrist” is used exclusively by the Apostle John. It occurs for example in 1 John 2:18:

“Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come.” (1 John 2:18 ESV)

Thus, just as John has the spirit of antichrist always among us while also maintaining an expectation that a great and final Antichrist will come, so too Paul speaks of the mystery of lawlessness being always among us and also of a great, archetypal Man of Lawlessness yet to come. Leon Morris says here:
“Paul was writing of someone who would appear only at the end of the age; the Man of Lawlessness is an eschatological figure.”⁠

Clearly the two terms together are referring to the great end-times opposer of the people of God who fulfills the prophetic pattern first introduced in The Book of Daniel. In Daniel 7-10 we are introduced to a character, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who serves as a sort of pattern or “illustration in advance” of the person John refers to as The Antichrist and Paul refers to as the Man of Lawlessness. Tremper Longman III in his commentary on Daniel says that:
“Antiochus becomes an apt symbol for the one Christians know as the Antichrist.”

In Daniel 7:25 it says about him:
“He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.”

Daniel 7:25 ESV)
For 3.5 years Antiochus Epiphanes was given a long leash to harass and hary the people of God. He wore them out. He ground them down. He tried to erase their distinctive religious expressions through the imposition of Greek holidays, customs and laws. It was a brutal and desperate season, but then as prophesied in verses 26-28:

“the court shall sit in judgment, and his dominion shall be taken away, to be consumed and destroyed to the end. And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’ “Here is the end of the matter.”” (Daniel 7:26–28 ESV)

At the height of his power, in the midst of his attempts to eradicate the faith of the covenant people, decisions are made in heaven, his kingdom comes to a sudden end and his domain is transferred to the saints who shall reign with God forever and ever amen. This is the end of the matter – an ending unmistakably similar to the ending given in Matthew 24:14:
“and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14 ESV)

Thus the Man of Lawlessness, also known as the Antichrist, fulfills the pattern established in The Book of Daniel, as originally illustrated in the life, delusions and depravity of Antiochus IV Epiphanes.

The Antichrist, or Man of Lawlessness is currently being restrained

In 2 Thessalonians 2:7 the Apostle Paul says:
“For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way.” (2 Thessalonians 2:7 ESV)
In the New Testament the word “mystery” is often used to refer to something hidden in plain sight that arises and becomes clear later on. Thus, Paul would seem to be saying that there is something going on currently that will eventually become much more prominent and would do so now if it were not restrained. Put another way, the devil is always trying to introduce his own gross parody of the incarnation, but as of yet, the birth canal is not wide enough for him to do so. All his efforts are abortive. He has not yet managed to place his man on centre stage, but he is constantly making the effort and his influence and activity can be discerned by the spiritually perceptive. G.K. Beale says here:

“Paul sees that, though this fiend has not yet come so visibly as he will at the final end of history, he is nevertheless ‘already at work’ in the covenant community through his deceivers, the false teachers.”

The restrainer is almost certainly God

The identity of “he who now restrains it” is the subject of considerable debate. In 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 Paul says:

And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way.

2 Thessalonians 2:6–7 ESV)

Much of the confusion is due to the unusual alternation of neuter and masculine terminology. Paul used the neuter gender in verse 6 and the masculine gender in verse 7. You know “what” is restraining – only “he” who now restrains it will do so until “he” is out of the way.
Are we looking for a “he” or an “it”?
That is the question.

Historically a lot of commentators identified the restrainer with the Roman Empire. Tertullian for example, went that route, largely because the Roman Empire could be referred to as an “it” or a “he” depending upon whether the focus was on the Empire itself or the ruling Emperor. Other more modern commentators adopt the same view, though in a more general sense. The Roman Empire is no longer in focus, but many understand the “it” as government in general and the “he” as representative of actual leaders.
Others have said that it refers to an Angelic power. This argument tends to be based on the perceived parallels in the Book of Daniel. In Daniel 10 we meet a spiritual being (some say an angel, others say the preincarnate Christ) who is opposed by another spiritual being and who is assisted by a third spiritual being, the Archangel Michael, in bringing about some sort of purpose that has ramifications in both the earthly and heavenly realms.

Daniel 10:13-14 records this divine being saying:

“The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, 14 and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.”

Daniel 10:13–14 ESV

In Daniel the geo-political realities at ground level are in some way reflective of realities working out in the spiritual realm. This dynamic could account for the “he/it” language in 2 Thessalonians.

The angel could be the “he” and some kind of earthly plan, provision

or power could be the “it”.
That’s possible.

However, the simplest approach would be to say that “He who now restrains it” is God. God is ultimately the one who oversee it all. He holds the leash. He is the one who opens and shuts. He kills. He makes alive. He is totally and entirely Sovereign though he works through various agents and means. In the Book of Isaiah in the last chapter, when issues of the new heavens and the new earth are being discussed God says in verse 9:
“Shall I bring to the point of birth and not cause to bring forth?” says the LORD; “shall I, who cause to bring forth, shutthe womb?” says your God.” (Isaiah 66:9 ESV)

Interestingly, the Hebrew word used in verse 9, translated by the ESV as “shut” literally means “to restrain”. It is the Hebrew word atzar. Thus God literally says in Isaiah 66:9 “shall I always restrain?” The implied answer is “no”. When the time comes, God will fully open the womb and everything planned and ordained from eternity past shall come forth.
In the closest NT parallel – in 1 Timothy 6:14-15 – the Apostle Paul tells his people to:

“keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will display at the proper time”

1 Timothy 6:14–15 ESV)

“He” in that passage is clearly God. God will decide when the Day of the Lord will be – he will decide when to send Jesus back to the earth. He is in total control of the timeline. Thus it is easy to imagine Paul saying to his people, without feeling the need for further explanation: “You KNOW what is restraining him” – if he were talking about God.

Anything else would have to be explained.

The Apostle Peter likewise takes it for granted that God is ultimately in charge of the timing of eschatological events. He says:
“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 ESV)

According to Peter, the length of time in the outworking of the plan has nothing to do with disinterest or inability on God’s part; rather the delay has to do with the progress of the Gospel. As Jesus said, this Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached to all nations – and then the end will come.
Peter will go on to say:

“And count the patience of our Lord

as salvation,

just as our beloved brother Paul also

wrote to you

according to the wisdom given him”

(2 Peter 3:15 ESV)

Peter assumes that what he is saying in his letters about such things accords perfectly well with what Paul said in his letters –

presumably in letters such as 2 Thessalonians.

The restraint will eventually be removed

Jesus in the Olivet Discourse, Paul in 2 Thessalonians and Peter in 2 Peter all appear to agree that the delay with respect to these great end times events is being managed by God as part of his plan to ensure that the Gospel of salvation is extended to all the nations. Once that task has been completed, the leash will be extended, the great end times struggle will begin, and then the end will come.

As to when this will happen, there is no encouragement in the New Testament to inquire too deeply into this matter. Whenever people ask, they are redirected to their commissioned task. In Acts 1, just prior to the ascension, the disciples asked Jesus:

“Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6ESV)
This wasn’t as bad of a question as we sometimes assume. As Old Testament readers and as first century Jews the disciples would have understood the ultimate point of the birth pangs described by Jesus in Matthew 24 as being to bring about the reunification of Israel, including the in-gathered Gentiles, culminating in the long awaited Kingdom of God. In Ezekiel 37 – right after the vision of the dry bones coming back to life – God says:

“Son of man, take a stick and write on it, ‘For Judah, and the people of Israel associated with him’; then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph (the stick of Ephraim) and all the house of Israel associated with him.’ 17 And join them one to another into one stick, that they may become one in your hand.” (Ezekiel 37:16–17 ESV)

Once the disciples came to understand that the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was the long-awaited means by which God would bring about the renewal of all things – it was not a huge leap for them to ask about the subsequent rebuilding of the Kingdom of Israel. On the Day of Pentecost as Jews from the entire dispersion were present to hear the Gospel and were saved and filled with the Holy Spirit that prophesy began to be fulfilled – but the point is that the timeline for the complete fulfillment was never at any point shared with the disciples. They were promised a glimpse of the beginning but they were never promised a living participation in the end. Rather than indulge their curiosity about such things, Jesus in Acts redirected the attention of the disciples to the task at hand:

He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:7–8 ESV)
Do you want to see the rebuilding of the kingdom of Israel? Then do your job. Be filled with the Holy Spirit and take this Gospel of the kingdom to the ends of the earth.

Applied to the current discussion, we cannot know and are discouraged from inquiring as to the timing of this great eschatological event.

The only thing that we can say is that

God will maintain his restraint upon the

lawless, rebellious, seductive and seditious activity of Satan

so as to keep the

window of Gospel opportunity

open for as long

as it takes to complete the Great Commission.

As that work is being completed, the length of the devil’s chain

will be lengthened, the door for his rebellious purpose

will crack open – a great season of tribulation,

persecution and sifting

will begin and then

the end will come.

The Man of Lawlessness will

oppose the saints

and exalt himself against God

We can anticipate the activity of the Man of Lawlessness during his time of extended permission by appealing to the historical example of Antiochus IV Epiphanes. As Tremper Longman III said:

“Antiochus becomes an apt symbol for the one

Christians know as the Antichrist."

In Daniel 7:25 it says about him:

“He shall speak words against

the Most High,

and shall wear out the saints of the Most High,

and shall think

to change the times and the law;

and they

shall be given into his hand for a

time, times, and half a time.”

Daniel 7:25 ESV

For 3.5 years Antiochus IV Epiphanes was given extensive permission to harass and hary the people of God. He wore them out. He ground them down. He tried to impose Hellenizing holidays, customs and laws upon them. He tried to erase their way of life.

He also attempted to position himself as the ultimate object of loyalty and religious fealty. In Daniel 8:9-11 the text says, referring to Antiochus IV Epiphanes as “a little horn”:

“Out of one of them came a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land. 10 It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them. 11 It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host.” (Daniel 8:9–11 ESV)

The text appears to be saying that Antiochus will not be content with “ground level victories”; he will wage war on heaven itself – even upon the host of heaven! What could that mean? How is that possible? And who is the Prince of the Host that Antiochus appears to rival in this cosmic conflict? This is a matter of some debate among commentators. Some say it refers to Michael the Archangel; some say it refers to Gabriel the hero of God. We don’t know, we just know that the spiritual battle is obviously very intense. As in the days of Noah, lines are being blurred between the earthly and the heavenly realm and for a moment, it appears at least, that the outcome is in doubt.

This aligns very well with what we see in in 2 Thessalonians 2:4. The Apostle Paul describes the Man of Lawlessness as one:

“who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.” (2 Thessalonians 2:4 ESV)

Paul understanding, guided by inspiration no doubt, also has been clearly influenced by the Book of Daniel. His depiction of the end-times Man of Lawlessness appears to draw heavily upon the historical reality that was Antiochus IV Epiphanes – and he was likely pointed in that direction by no less an authority than Jesus himself. In the Olivet Discourse Jesus embeds one clue as to the timing of these great end-times events. He says:

“So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.” (Matthew 24:15–16 ESV)
Jesus seems to be saying that when we see the Daniel story repeating itself – run for the mountains! The Day of the Lord is at hand!

Given that Jesus himself identifies the repetition of the Daniel pattern as the trigger event – specifically what he calls “the abomination of desolation” – obviously we want to know what that means. Daniel uses some version of this expression four times – 8:13, 9:27, 11:31 and 12:11. The expression itself is hard to interpret, so Luke, in his Gospel, provides us with some additional commentary. In Luke 21:20-22 Jesus says:

“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies,

then know that its desolation has come near.

21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains,

and let those who are inside the city depart,

and let not those who are out in the country enter it,

for these are days of vengeance,

to fulfill all that is written.”

(Luke 21:20–22 ESV)

In Luke’s version Jesus is clearly saying

that when the Romans begin

to march on Jerusalem, no time is to be spared.

Run!

The great Day of Vengeance is at hand.

If we are correct in understanding the destruction of Jerusalem as the first “great tribulation” then the same approach is to be applied to the last “great tribulation”. Thus when Jesus in Matthew 24:15-16says to watch for the trigger event, he means that when we see the church surrounded by enemies; when she is hated by all; when the Man of Lawlessness has his foot on her throat and appears to have her completely at his mercy – run! The Day of the Lord is at hand!

That appears to provide much needed context for Paul’s statement in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 when he speaks about the

Man of Lawlessness exalting himself:

“against every so-called god or object of worship,

so that he takes his seat in the temple of God,

proclaiming himself to be God.”

(2 Thessalonians 2:4 ESV)

What would it mean for the Man of Lawlessness to

take his seat in the temple of God,

proclaiming himself to be God?

How could that happen? Where could that happen? Of course, there is no temple of God in a physical sense; the temple was destroyed in AD 70, so how would a prophesy like that work out now?

Herman Ridderbos is helpful here, he says:

“To sit in the temple is a divine attribute, the

arrogating to oneself of divine honor.”

Most commentators understand it that way. F.F. Bruce

understands the expression as being:

“a graphic way of saying that he plans to

usurp the authority of God.”

There are some who think this prophecy necessitates the rebuilding of the actual, physical temple in Jerusalem – but that would be to run completely against the grain of New Testament theology. The phrase “temple of God” is used 10 other times in the New Testament – outside of 2 Thessalonians – and in 9 of those 10 times it refers to the Christian church. Sam Storms says here:
“The way this language is used elsewhere in the New Testament, especially in the writings of Paul himself, makes it unlikely that it could refer to anything other than the Church, the body of Christ, the only temple in which God is pleased ever again to dwell.”

Thus, it would appear that we are to anticipate that once the Antichrist has the church seemingly, completely in his power; once he has his boot on our neck; he will attempt to force the church in some way, to acknowledge his Divinity.

That’s the trigger moment.

When that happens –

run for the mountains!

Because the end of all things

is at hand.

The Great Apostasy and the Man of Lawlessness will come to an end at the Return of Jesus ChristAntiochus

IV Epiphanes appeared for a moment to be a rival, event to the host of heaven. He made remarkable progress and amassed incredible power, all within a reasonably short period of time. But then, without warning, everything came to a sudden and devastating end. Daniel 7:26-28 says:
“The court shall sit in judgment, and his dominion shall be taken away, to be consumed and destroyed to the end. 27 And the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’

'Here is the end of the matter.

(Daniel 7:26–28 ESV)

And so it was.

At the height of his power,

in the midst of his arrogant and blasphemous campaign,

Antiochus IV Epiphanes died suddenly of disease in 164 BC.

He came. He did what he was permitted to do.

He died.

“Here is the end of the matter.

(Daniel 7:28 ESV)

Such a pattern leads us to expect that the

end-times

Man of Lawlessness will appear suddenly,

rise rapidly,

rule demonically only to be destroyed catastrophically.

That appears to correspond precisely with the

prophecy of the Apostle Paul:

“And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the

Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and

bring to nothing

by the appearance of his coming.” (2 Thessalonians 2:8 ESV)

His reign will be short and brutal; his

end sudden and unlamented.

Then:

“the kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the

kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the

people of the saints of the Most High; his kingdom

shall be an everlasting kingdom,

and all dominions shall serve and obey him.’”

(Daniel 7:27 ESV)

Thus the appearing of the Man of Lawlessness, though terrible in the short term, is a harbinger of the Kingdom of God. His reign of brutality and terror functions as a final sifting mechanism and also serves to refine and prepare the people of God for the triumphant return of Jesus Christ. It is the last terrible birth pang that leads to the long-awaited child. Jesus told his disciples:

“You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. 21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.” (John 16:20–22 ESV)

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.”

When lives are lived on the un-sanctified wisdom of the world and people allow the clever oratory skills and philosophies of men to influence their own thought processes, in preference to the Word of God.. those lives will be characterised by spiritual weakness, doctrinal error and a tendency towards an inflated ego.

Paul was a man of many talents and had acquired much worldly wisdom and religious knowledge. Paul was a logical thinker and had plain common sense, and yet as He grew in grace, Paul determined to know nothing other that Jesus Christ and Him crucified. In five short words, Paul gave the foundational truths contained in glorious gospel of God

JESUS CHRIST AND HIM CRUCIFIED

Jesus Christ: refers to the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ.. the incarnate Son of God, Who was given by the Father to be the substitute for the sin of the whole world. Jesus: - the child Who was conceived of a virgin through the mysterious work of the Holy Spirit, and Who would grow up to become the kinsman-redeemer of humankind. Christ: - the anointed Messiah of Israel, and Saviour of humanity, Whom the Father anointed to become the Redeemer of the world and sacrificial Lamb of God - and about Whose perfect life, substitutionary death, wonderful resurrection and eternal rule the prophets of old wrote about in the holy Scriptures. Yes, Paul determined to know nothing among them except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.

And Him Crucified: refers to the Work of the Lord Jesus Christ at Calvary. Part of that work was the expiation of our sins, where sin and guilt was removed from our account forever - because Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God, sent by the Father to take away the sin of the world. But He was also the propitiation for our sin.. for by being born into the human race He became our kinsman-Redeemer - Whose sacrificial death and glorious resurrection paid the price of our sin with His own death - a penalty all guilty sinners justly deserve. Yes, Jesus Christ was the propitiation for our sins - turning the wrath of God, which we all justly deserve.. away from us and upon Himself, so that by faith in Him we might be made the righteousness of God.

Not only is our sin and guilt removed and God's wrath against sin fully satisfied through Christ's work on the cross.. but He reconciled us back to God... removing forever our alienation from God. Although we were born into this world as enemies of God.. the death of Jesus Christ reconciled us back to God. Although we were at enmity with God, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son. How much more, therefore.. having been reconciled to God.. brought back into a right relationship with Him, shall we be saved by His life. Yes, Jesus identified with our death so that we might be identified with His life. And He identified with our sin so that we might be identified with His righteousness.

Our many sins together with our sin nature had made us slaves of sin - but Christ Jesus redeemed us in some amazing ways:- 1) He redeemed us from the curse of the Law; 2) He redeemed us from the guilt of our sin and 3) He redeemed us from the power of sin. And 4) the day is coming when our mortal bodies will also be redeemed - and we shall put on immortality. Our corrupt bodies will put on incorruption and we will finally be redeemed from the presence of sin as well as it penalty and power, forever and ever, amen.

But as we seek to live for God in a world where He is being eliminated, one of the most amazing parts of Christ's substitutionary work on the cross - is that He not only died FOR our sin as our sin-substitute... but He died TO sin on our account, breaking the POWER of sin as well as paying the PRICE of sin. He identified with us so that we could identify with both His death and His resurrection - so that HIS death became OUR death (death to the self-life) and HIS life became OUR life (our new eternal life in Christ). He bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to God, through the power of Jesus Christ our Lord and our Life.

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 term word is used in different ways in the Bible. In the New Testament, there are two Greek words translated "word": rhema and logos. They have slightly different meanings. Rhema usually means “a spoken word.” For example, in Luke 1:38, when the angel told Mary that she would be the mother of God’s Son, Mary replied, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word [rhema].”

Logos, however, has a broader, more philosophical meaning. This is the term used in John 1. It usually implies a total message, and is used mostly in reference to God’s message to mankind. For example, Luke 4:32 says that, when Jesus taught the people, "they were amazed at his teaching, because his words [logos] had authority." The people were amazed not merely by the particular words Jesus chose but by His total message.

"The Word" (Logos) in John 1 is referring to Jesus. Jesus is the total Message—everything that God wants to communicate to man. The first chapter of John gives us a glimpse inside the Father/Son relationship before Jesus came to earth in human form. He preexisted with the Father (verse 1), He was involved in the creation of everything (verse 3), and He is the "light of all mankind" (verse 4). The Word (Jesus) is the full embodiment of all that is God (Colossians 1:19; 2:9; John 14:9). But God the Father is Spirit. He is invisible to the human eye. The message of love and redemption that God spoke through the prophets had gone unheeded for centuries (Ezekiel 22:26; Matthew 23:37). People found it easy to disregard the message of an invisible God and continued in their sin and rebellion. So the Message became flesh, took on human form, and came to dwell among us (Matthew 1:23; Romans 8:3; Philippians 2:5–11).

The Greeks used the word logos to refer to one’s “mind,” “reason,” or “wisdom.” John used this Greek concept to communicate the fact that Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity, is the self-expression of God to the world. In the Old Testament, the word of God brought the universe into existence (Psalm 33:6) and saved the needy (Psalm 107:20). In chapter 1 of his Gospel, John is appealing to both Jew and Gentile to receive the eternal Christ.

Jesus told a parable in Luke 20:9–16 to explain why the Word had to become flesh. “A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out.

“Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.’ But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the heir,’ they said. ‘Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’

So they threw him

out of the vineyard and killed him.

What then will the owner of the

vineyard do to them?

He will come and kill those tenants

and give the vineyard to others.”

In this parable, Jesus was

reminding the Jewish leaders

that they had

rejected the prophets and were

now rejecting the Son.

The Logos, the Word of God, was now going to be offered to everyone, not just the Jews (John 10:16; Galatians 2:28; Colossians 3:11).

Because the Word became flesh, we have a high priest who is able to empathize with our weaknesses, one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet He did not sin (Hebrews 4:15)

The pillar of cloud by day and the

pillar of fire by night

guided the Israelites during their

exodus from Egyptian bondage.

This allowed them to travel by day and by night. Exodus 13:21–22 explains that God gave them the pillar of cloud by day to lead them in the way He wanted them to go and the pillar of fire by night to give light. The pillar was not just symbolism but a real phenomenon. We have no way of knowing how God made the pillar, but it was obviously a miraculous event that God used to lead them for their forty years in the wilderness. During the day the pillar guided their journey. During the night it gave light and, no doubt, comfort.

In addition to guidance for the Hebrews, the pillar was a testimony to other nations concerning God’s involvement with and protection of His people Israel. In Exodus 14:24 God troubled the Egyptians through the cloud, and Moses used this in Numbers 14:14 in his plea to God to not destroy the Hebrews because of their sin. God’s provision of the pillar was remembered in the prayer of the Jewish leaders in Nehemiah 9 as an instance of God’s care and provision for His people.

Exodus 13:22 says, “Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.” The pillar is a picture of God’s faithfulness and a lesson to us that God never leaves nor forsakes His people. He reminds us of this in Hebrews 13:5–6, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you have: for he has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do to me.”

The first biblical reference to God’s presence in a cloud is found in Exodus 13:21. As the Israelites moved toward the Promised Land, “the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night.” Exodus 40:35 associates the cloud with God’s glory: “And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” In order for it to fill the tabernacle, the “glory of the Lord” must have had a physical manifestation recognizable to the people. However, there is no indication in Scripture that the clouds were glittery or filled with golden dust. In fact, every time gold or jewels are mentioned in connection with God, they are always of the purest variety. No independent gemologist has ever verified that any element produced in these services is authentic.

The Lord told Moses,

“No man may see me and live”

Exodus 33:20

He allowed Moses only a fleeting glimpse of His glory in passing (Exodus 33:22–23). Those who encountered the cloud of God’s glory in the Old Testament were often unable to approach it (see Exodus 40:34–35; 2 Chronicles 7:2; and 1 Kings 8:11). By contrast, those experiencing the modern version of a “glory cloud” greet it with singing, dancing, shouting, and basking in the glitter that engulfs them. This response is inconsistent with biblical accounts. When the glory of God was present in a cloud, the power of His presence was so overwhelming that mortal men could not enter it.

Ezekiel truly experienced the glory of the Lord.

He writes, “Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day,

so was the radiance around him.

This was the appearance of the likeness of the

glory of the LORD.

When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking”

(Ezekiel 1:28; cf. 44:4).

When the Lord gave Isaiah a vision of His glory, Isaiah’s response was to cry,

“Woe to me! I am ruined!

For I am a man of unclean lips,

and I live

among a people of unclean lips,

and my eyes have

seen

the King, the Lord Almighty”

(Isaiah 6:5).

Abject humility akin to horror always followed Old Testament displays of the glory of God (2 Chronicles 5:14; 7:3; Isaiah 6:5). The responses of Ezekiel and Isaiah to the glory of the Lord were nothing similar to the responses of those in modern Charismatic churches.

God has displayed His glory in a thousand ways (Psalm 19:1), the foremost being the Person of His Son. Jesus stated that to see and know Him is to see the glory of God. He told His followers in John 11:40, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” He also said, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).

He has given His children the Holy Spirit, which

means we carry the

glory of God with us everywhere we go

1 Corinthians 6:19; 2 Corinthians 5:5).

Although the Lord God can manifest any way He chooses to,

He does not need a glittery cloud to communicate His presence

to those who have received His offer of salvation.

We do not seek a sign (Matthew 16:4).

We can enjoy His presence every moment of every

day as we surrender to Him and choose to walk in the Spirit

(Galatians 5:16, 25).

The pillar of fire

(Hebrew: עמוד אש, romanized: ‘ammūḏ ’êš)

and

pillar of cloud (עמוד ענן‘ammūḏ ‘ānān)

are a dual theophany(manifestation of God) described in

various places in the first five books of the Hebrew Bible.

The pillars are said to have guided the Israelites-through

the desert

during the Exodus from Egypt.

The pillar of cloud provided a

visible guide for the Israelites during the day,

while the pillar of fire lit their way by night

The term double-minded comes from the

Greek word dipsuchos, meaning

“a person with two minds or souls.”

It’s interesting that this word appears only in the

book of James

(James 1:8; 4:8).

Bible scholars conclude that James might have coined this word.
To grasp the full meaning of this word, it is
best to understand how it is used within its context.

James writes of the doubting person

that he is

'like a wave of the sea, blown and

tossed by the wind.

That man should not think he will receive anything

from the Lord;

he is a double-minded man,

unstable in all he does” (James 1:6–8).

A doubter is a double-minded person.

Jesus had in mind such a person when

He spoke of the one who

tries to

serve two masters

(Matthew 6:24)

As such, he is “unstable,”

which comes

from a Greek word meaning

“unsteady, wavering, in both

his character and feelings.”

A double-minded person is restless

and confused in his thoughts, his actions, and his behavior.

Such a person is always in conflict with himself.

One torn by such inner conflict can never lean with

confidence on God and His gracious promises.

Those who are double-minded do not

have the faith spoken of in Hebrews 11:1, 3:

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. . . . By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.”

We cannot be both

“certain” and doubting, as is the

double-minded person.

One part of his mind is sure of something,

while the other part doubts.

It brings to mind

the “pushmi-pullyu” of the Dr. Doolittle stories,

an animal with a head at either

end of its body and which was constantly

trying to walk in two directions at once.

Such is the double-minded man.

Jesus declared,

“No one can serve two masters.

Either he will hate the one and love the other,

or he will be devoted

to the one and despise the other”

(Matthew 6:24).

God and the things of this world are of

such opposite natures

that it is impossible to love either one completely

without hating the other. Those who try to

love both will become unstable in all their ways.

If someone struggles with being double-minded,

he or she should read, study, and memorize the Word,

for it is the Word of God that produces faith

(Romans 10:17).

And he or she should pray for faith.

God freely gives what is good to those who ask Him

(Luke 11:9–12),

and it’s good to ask for an increase of faith

(Luke 17:5; Mark 9:24).

A theophany is a

manifestation of God

in the Bible that is tangible

to the human senses.

In its most restrictive sense, it is a

visible appearance of God in the Old Testament period, often,

but not always, in human form.

Some of the theophanies are found in these passages:

1. Genesis 12:7-9 –

The Lord appeared to Abraham on his arrival in the land God had promised to him and his descendants.

2. Genesis 18:1-33 –

One day, Abraham had some visitors: two angels and God Himself. He invited them to come to his home, and he and Sarah entertained them. Many commentators believe this could also be a Christophany, a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ.

3. Genesis 32:22-30 –

Jacob wrestled with what appeared to be a man, but was actually God (vv. 28-30). This may also have been a Christophany.

4. Exodus 3:2 - 4:17 –

God appeared to Moses in the form of a burning bush, telling him exactly what He wanted him to do.

5. Exodus 24:9-11 –

God appeared to Moses with Aaron and his sons and the seventy elders.

6. Deuteronomy 31:14-15 –

God appeared to Moses and Joshua in the

transfer of leadership to Joshua

7. Job 38–42 –

God answered Job out of the tempest and spoke at

great length in answer to Job’s questions.

Frequently, the term

“glory of the Lord”

reflects a

theophany, as in Exodus 24:16-18; the

“pillar of cloud”

has a similar function in Exodus 33:9.

A frequent introduction for theophanies may be seen

in the words “the Lord came down,” as

in Genesis 11:5; Exodus 34:5; Numbers 11:25; and 12:5.

Some Bible commentators believe that whenever someone

received a visit from

“the angel of the Lord,”

this was in fact the pre-incarnate Christ.

These appearances can be seen

in Genesis 16:7-14; Genesis 22:11-18; Judges 5:23; 2 Kings 19:35;

and other passages. Other commentators believe these

were in fact

angelophanies, or appearances of angels.

While there are no indisputable Christophanies in the

Old Testament, every theophany wherein

God takes on human form foreshadows the

incarnation,

where God took the form of a man to

live among us as

Emmanuel, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23).

"Christ is the end of

the law

so that there may be

righteousness

for everyone who believes,"

So you also are

complete through your union with Christ,

who is the

head over every ruler and authority

Matthew 5:17-18

Ye are complete

Literally, ye have been filled up in His fulness,

as in John 1:16. So St. Paul

had prayed for the Ephesians that they

might be "filled with (or rather, up to) all the

fulness of God,"

and

"grow into the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ"

(Ephesians 3:19; Ephesians 4:13).

To partake of the divine plerorna is not the

special privilege of the initiated; it belongs to all

who are united to the

Lord Jesus Christ.

Principality and power.--See Colossians 1:16.

His headship over all angelic natures is dwelt upon

(as in Hebrews 1:1-14)

with obvious reference to the worshipping of angels.

They are our fellow servants under the same Head.

(See Revelation 22:8-9.) . . .

Verse 10. - And (because)

ye are in him made complete;

or fulfilled

(Ephesians 1:3, 7-11, 23; Ephesians 3:18, 19; Ephesians 4:13; Philippians 4:19; Galatians 3:14, 24; Galatians 5:1, 4; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 1 Corinthians 2:2).

A complete Christ makes his people complete;

his pleroma is our plerosis.

Finding

the whole fulness of God brought

within our reach

and engaged in our behalf

(Philippians 2:7; Matthew 20:28)

in him, we need not resort elsewhere to

supply our spiritual needs

(Philippians 4:19).

"In him"

is the primary predicate

(see Alford, Ellicott, against Meyer: comp. ver. 3):

"Ye are in him" is the assumption

(Romans 8:1; Romans 16:7); "(ye are)

made complete" is the inference.

(On the verb πληρόω (the basis of pleroma),

used in perfect participle of abiding result, see notes, Colossians 1:9, 19.)

This completeness includes the furnishing of men

with all that is required

for their present and final salvation as individuals

(vers. 11-15; Colossians 1:21, 22, 28),

and for

their collective perfection as

forming the Church, the

body of Christ

(vers. 2, 19; Colossians 1:19; Ephesians 1:23; Ephesians 5:26, 27);

for this twofold completeness, comp. Ephesians 4:12-16.

Who is the Head of all principality and dominion

(vers. 15, 18; Colossians 1:16; Ephesians 1:21; Philippians 2:10, 11; 1 Corinthians 15:24; Hebrews 1:6, 14; 1 Peter 3:22). (On "principality," etc., see note, Colossians 1:16.) The Colossians were being taught to replace or supplement Christ's offices by those of angel powers (see notes, vers. 15, 18). Philo ('Concerning Dreams,' 1. §§ 22, 23) writes thus of the angels: "Free from all bodily encumbrance, endowed with larger and diviner intellect, they are lieutenants of the All ruler, eyes and ears of the great King. Philosophers in general call them demons(δαίμονες);

the sacred Scripture angels,

for they report (διαγγέλλουσι) the injunctions of the

Father to his children, and the wants of the children to their Father....

Angels, the Divine words, walk about [comp. 2 Corinthians 6:16] in the souls of those who have not yet completely washed off the (old) life, foul and stained through their cumbersome bodies, making them bright to the eyes of virtue." In such a strain the Colossian "philosopher" may have been talking.

But if Christ is the Maker and Lord of these invisible powers - (Colossians 1:15, 16), and we are in him, then we must no longer look to them as our saviours.

The word sanctification has to do with holiness and to sanctify something is to set it apart for special use. To sanctify someone, is to make them ‘holy’.
As we read above in John 17:16-17, and throughout the scriptures, Christ had a lot to say about sanctification.

There are three different ways the Bible uses the word sanctification:

Positional Sanctification
Progressive Sanctification
Complete Sanctification

Firstly, the positional sanctification is a state of separation to God, and all those who are born of God are in this state. 1 Corinthians 1:30 says “And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,” This sanctification is a once and for all separation from sin to God. It is not by anything we have done, but it is purely a work of God and an intricate part of our salvation. Hebrews 10: 10 says “And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” This is also known as justification.

Secondly, there is a progressive sanctification that the Bible talks about. 1 John 1:10 says “If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” This means that we still sin and we know it. This is why the Bible refers to sanctification as a practical experience of our separation to God. Progressive sanctification will be the focus of our study today as this is the effect of obedience to the Word of God in one’s life.

As children of God we must be constantly growing in Him. 2 Peter 3:18 says “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” We must grow spiritually mature and it is the power of God that has started the work of making us more like Christ every single day. Philippians 1:6 says “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” We as believers in Christ must pursue this kind of sanctification earnestly. 1 Peter 1:15 tells us but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,”, and again in Hebrews 12:14 saying “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.” It is important that we are transformed daily into His likeness, and that we strive for the holiness and daily sanctification being pleasing to God in all things. This is effected by the application of the word in our lives as it says in John 17:17 “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”

Notice that believers in this world are set apart for the purposes of God, and we are called according to His purposes and plans for our lives. In order to fulfill this calling we must be constantly sanctified. In fact Jesus says in John 17:18-19 “As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.” Jesus set himself apart and sanctified Himself for the purpose and calling of His Father in Heaven and this is the basis and condition of our being set apart as we are now being sent into the world by Jesus Christ. It is the same pattern and power that is related to our own sanctification. Before salvation we were separate from God, but now we have been separated from the world to God. When we were of this world our behavior bore witness to our separation from God and to our standing of this world. Now that we are in Christ our behavior must bare witness to our standing before God, being separate from sin. Hebrews 10:14 says

“For by a single offering he has perfected for

all time

those who are being sanctified.”

This shows that we are in the process of being sanctified,

little by little, every day,

becoming more and more like Christ.

The third way in which the Bible uses the word sanctification is a complete sanctification. Paul prays in 1 Thessalonians 5:23 “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” When we are completely sanctified, we enter into the glorified state. This glorified state is our ultimate separation from sin, a total and complete sanctification in every regard. 1 John 3:2 tells us “Beloved, we are Gods children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.”

So sanctification is a separation from sin to holiness, being set apart to God. The moment we accepted Jesus Christ into our hearts as our personal savior and God, we received a positional sanctification. This also means that we are justified, a once and for all positional holiness in Christ. Now that we are a child of God, we grow spiritually and

God guides us to maturity.

It is a day to day progressive holiness.

And finally God will give us glorification, which is a permanent and complete holiness when we leave this earth, and
this body of sin.

The three phases we see here are:

A separation of the believer from the penalty of sin (justification),
a separating from the power of sin (maturity) and
a complete separation from the presence of sin (glorification).

The focus of our thought today will be on the progressive sanctification by the Word as we read in John 17:16-17.

Sanctification through the

truth (the Word)

When we read in the Old Testament, we see that sanctification was a ritual process effected by ceremonial observance. This was only a outward cleansing. Exodus 29:1 says “Now this is what you shall do to them to consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests . Take one bull of the herd and two rams without blemish,”, The sanctification in the New Testament is different, it is a spiritual process passing over our hearts, our conscience and our will and it is solely the work of God.

Firstly, in John 17:17, Jesus asks the Father to sanctify us by the truth, and then explains that the truth is the “word”. Let us take a moment to think about why God’s word is truth? The reason God’s word is ultimate truth is because God is the ultimate reality. For something to be true it has to be real. God alone is ultimately real, He is the ultimate reality. Everything else we see around us as real is created by Him and according to His purpose. When God speaks, it is the ultimate truth. Now let us look at what the word says about truth?

a. Jesus is truth and speaks

(word) truth

We must understand that Jesus Christ is “Truth”, and everything he says is “True”. His word is truth. Truth came into this world represented as the man, Jesus Christ and every word that comes out of His mouth is truth. John 1:14 says “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Praise God. Let us look at what Jesus said about truth:

Jesus came to bear witness to the truth: John 18:37 says “…”You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world – to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.””
The testimony of Jesus was true.John 8:14 says “…my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you don’t know…”
The judgment of Jesus Christ is true, John 8:16 says “Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me.”

In John 14:6, Jesus says “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus could say this because He is God, and it is only God who is the ultimate truth. John 1:1 says “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Jesus Christ Himself is the eternal Word, and every word that he speaks is truth.
We must also note that it was not only the words and actions of Jesus that is truth, but Jesus authenticated the Bible, both the Old Testament and the New Testament as truth. In Matthew 5:17-18 Jesus says “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” Also in John 10:35 Jesus says “If he called them gods to whom the word of God came-and scripture cannot be broken-” Here we see Jesus clearly saying that the Old Testament is the word of God.

Now what did Jesus say about the New Testament, noting that the New Testament had not been written yet? Jesus promises His apostles in John 16:13 saying “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” So, through this the apostles have become the authoritative spokesmen for the Spirit of God and to provide the church its foundation in the New Testament as it says in Ephesians 2:20 “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,”. Also we read in 1 Corinthians 2:13 saying “And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.”
So in this we see that Jesus has shown us that, He Himself, His words, the Old Testament and the New Testament are all the sum of God’s word and it is truth. Psalm 119:160 says “The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endure forever.”

When we look at the scripture we are looking into today, John 17:17, it is the “word” that sanctifies us. In this verse the word is the instrument by which God sanctifies us. Note, that this is one among many instruments that the Lord uses.
The word of God has power to sanctify us because it has a discovering and enlightening power. It is a mirror in which you may see reflected all of your failures and sins. It is like a searchlight discerning the thoughts and intents of the heart. It is this light of the “word” which cleanses us. The word of God is also a nourishing and strengthening power. Acts 20:32 says “And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
The word of God also has an overcoming and conquering power. The secret of our victory is to have God’s word in our hearts. We overcome sin and Satan by the power of the word that dwells in us. 1 John 2:14 says “I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.”
Finally, the word of God has a Christ revealing and Christ communicating power. There is a vital link between the written Word and the living Word. When the word of God dwells in us, then Christ is also dwelling within us. Colossians 3:16 says “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
We need the indwelling Word of God to sanctify us from the inside out.
b. The work of sanctification
Why is sanctification necessary?
Sanctification is necessary because it forms part of salvation, meaning that it is not only a deliverance from sin and its punishment, but it is also a deliverance from the power of sin and it’s dominion, and for us to imitate more of the Divine nature of Christ. It means we must also reflect the Divine character of Christ. Our God is a God of holiness and sin is abominable to Him. We must allow the truth to sanctify us because it is the evidence of our faith and relationship with Christ as well as for the advancement of God’s glory and for the extension of Christ’ kingdom. It also qualifies us for the heavenly kingdom as we must become more like Him to enjoy eternity with Him.
Sanctification must be real
In order for sanctification to be real it must extend to our whole being. It must extend to our thoughts, our words, actions, to the affections and desires of our heart, and to our outward conduct. It is not a partial sanctification, but it is a renewing of every part of our being. We cannot confine the work of the sanctification to a part of our life, but we must allow Him full reign of our whole being. Often times we have areas in our lives, that we struggle to let go. It could be addictions, temptations, or anything else that takes more priority in your life than Jesus Christ. Our whole being must be in subjection to Christ.
Also for sanctification to be real, it must be progressive. It is a progression from a small beginning to a great increase. Just like the parable of the mustard seed. It is the smallest of all seeds, but once it falls to the ground and dies, then out of it new life begins, becoming and growing until it is a tree. Matthew 13:38 says”The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom, the weeds are sons of the evil one,”. Now if we read the parable of the the sower in the same chapter in Matthew 13:1-9, we also read and understand in this context the seeds are the word of God. The word “seed” has been used differently in both of these occasions.
To begin with, what is a seed? If we take the example of an apple. An apple tree produces apple, and inside the apple are small seeds. What do the seeds do? The seeds is the means by which the apple tree reproduces itself and by it the tree expands its domain. This is the analogy we need to look at.
In the parables in Matthew 13, first Jesus compares the seeds to the “word”, then later on in the chapter He compares it to “the sons of the kingdom”. The overall meaning in both are the same. The seed is the product of the plant, and the seed is also the means by which the plant is re-produced. Now with this in mind, the meaning of the seed fits both the word of God (which is the truth by which we are sanctified), and also the sons of God, where in this new birth, which is brought about by our death in Christ and new life blooming out through the Word, the fruits which is born out of the word, out of the Holy Spirit who now dwells in us. This is why it tells us in 2 Thessalonians 2:13 “But we ought to always give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.”
Starting with the seed, which is the word, transforming our heart and mind and then transforming the whole of our outward self, to

produce the fruits of being sanctified.

Sanctification is God’s work

Let us remember that we cannot bring something clean, out of something that is unclean. It is the work of God in our lives and not only in the moment of our salvation, but continuing that very processes until the very end, through all the intermediary steps until we arrive at the fullness and perfect state in Christ Jesus. That is the day we are translated from this world into the world of purity where there is no sin to be found. This is shown by God’s word and our experience. We know that in our own efforts we cannot achieve anything, it is only if God is found in us and through His work, that anything can be achieved.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 says “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”

Reading through the whole text of 1 Thessalonians 5, we learn 3 things through which we

recognize that it is God’s commitment and

work to sanctify us.

Firstly it is through the commandments that God sanctifies us. When we read 1 Thessalonians 5:14-22, Paul is just finishing giving a string of commandments and it comes to an end in verse 22 saying “Abstain from every form of evil.” Lets read this passage:

1 Thessalonians 5:14-22 “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Do not quench the Spirit.

Do not despise prophecies, but test everything;

hold fast what is good.

Abstain from every form of evil.”

From these verses we can understand that

the way God sanctifies us is not by just saying, that

He will “sanctify us” and that’s it.

We must realize the way that God sanctifies us is by

using the commandments and incentives.

God deals with our minds and motives and this is

the first thing we have to notice.

We must allow ourselves to be slaves to righteousness

leading to sanctification.

Romans 6:19 says

“I am speaking in human terms, because of your

natural limitations.

For just as you once presented your members

as slaves to impurity and to

lawlessness leading to more lawlessness,

so now present your members as slaves

to righteousness leading to sanctification.”

Secondly, He sanctifies us through prayer.

When we read 1 Thessalonians 5:23, Paul in the previous verses
exhorts us commands us to be holy, but now in v23

Paul asks God to make us holy, saying

“May the God of peace himself

sanctify you completely,

and may your

whole spirit and soul and body

be kept blameless

at the

coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Not only does God use the commandments and instructions given to us in His word, but he also uses the prayers of people. The Lords work is amazing, He not only deals with our minds and motives to make us holy, but He also uses the minds and motives of others that they may pray for you. Praise God.
Thirdly God uses His promises to sanctify us. No only through His commandments and prayer, but most importantly through the promise of God. So, in 1 Thessalonians 5:14-22, we are commanded to pursue holy living, then in v23, Paul prays that God would sanctify us and finally in v24 it says “He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.”

Looking at the above, we must not jump to conclusions that it is merely by our effort of keeping the commandments, or by the prayers of others that we are sanctified. When we read v24 it says that it is God’s faithfulness combined with God’s call that He will do it. So when we gave our heart to the Lord and accepted Him as our personal savior, from that moment on we not only trust Jesus Christ for His grace to forgive our sins, but also His grace in overcoming sins. It is He who begins, and continues the transforming work in our lives as we continue to love Him.

In conclusion, we must recognize the
necessity of sanctification as a child of God.

We can often fall into the trap of presenting the gospel message as an addition to the life of an individual just for the purpose of receiving eternal life with Christ, but little in way of the transformation of an individual from being a slave to sin to a slave to righteousness.

We can compare this to someone who is taking an insurance policy, just as an add on to his existing life, a safeguard and nothing else.

In contrast, the message of the gospel is a message of radical transformation of our life and it is a call of repentance, to CHANGE. When we accept God’s provision of righteousness in Christ, then we must allow the outworking of righteousness in our lives by the putting away of sin. This is true repentance, where sanctification is a work of God, through His word (as we discussed today), and also through the Holy Spirit and the Father and whatever avenue God uses. It is not a change we initiate, but it is a change with which we must co-operate.

The consistent challenge given to us in

the New Testament

is that our practice (progressive sanctification)

must conform to our justified position (positional sanctification) in Christ.

Not only have we been justified in Christ, through His death on the cross for our sins, but as we continue to live our life as a Christian in this world,

the process of

sanctification must continue to the

glory of God

our Father in heaven.

The Truth will Set You Free

31So He said to the Jews who had believed Him,

“If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples.

Then you will know the truth, and

the truth will set you free.”

We are Abraham’s descendants,” they answered.

“We have never been slaves to anyone.

How can You say we will be set free?”…

John 1:14

The Word became flesh and made

His dwelling among us.

We have seen His glory,

the glory of the

one and only Son from the Father,

full of grace and truth.

John 1:17

For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came

through Jesus Christ.

John 8:36
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Romans 6:18
You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

Romans 6:22
But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the fruit you reap leads to holiness, and the outcome is eternal life.

Romans 8:2
For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death.

1 Corinthians 7:22
For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord's freedman. Conversely, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ's slave.

Treasury of Scripture

And you shall know the truth,

and the truth

shall make you free.
ye shall.

John 6:45

It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

John 7:17
If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
and the.

John 8:36
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

John 17:17
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Psalm 119:45
And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.

The phrase principalities and powers occurs six times in the Bible, always in the King James Version and its derivatives (NKJV, MKJV). Other versions translate it variously as “rulers and authorities,” “forces and authorities,” and “rulers and powers.” In most places where the phrase appears, the contexts make it clear that it refers to the vast array of evil and malicious spirits who make war against the people of God. The principalities and powers of Satan are usually in view here, beings that wield power in the unseen realms to oppose everything and everyone that is of God.

The first mention of principalities and powers is in Romans 8:37–39: “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 demons, 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.” These verses are about the victory Christ has won over all the forces ranged against us. We are “more than conquerors” because no force—not life, not death, not angels, not demons, indeed nothing—can separate us from the love of God. The “powers” referred to here are those with miraculous powers, whether false teachers and prophets or the very demonic entities that empower them. What is clear is that, whoever they are, they cannot separate us from the love of God. Victory is assured. It would be unfortunate to dwell on identifying the powers and miss the main thrust of the verse, which is assurance about what God has done to save us.

Another mention of principalities and powers is in Colossians 1:16, “For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.” Here is the clear statement that God is the Creator and Ruler over all authorities, whether they submit to Him or rebel against Him. Whatever power the evil forces possess, they are not out of the ultimate control of our sovereign God, who uses even the wicked for bringing about His perfect plan and purpose (Daniel 4:35; Isaiah 46:10–11).

In the next chapter of Colossians, we read about Jesus’ ultimate power over all other powers: “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (Colossians 2:15). In keeping with all things, the powers are created by Christ and therefore under His control. They are not to be feared, for they have been disarmed by the cross. The Savior, by His death, took dominion from them, and took back what they had captured. Satan and his legions had invaded the earth and drawn mankind into captivity, subjecting them to their evil reign. But Christ, by His death, subdued the invaders and recaptured those who had been vanquished. Colossians 2:14 speaks of Jesus being nailed to the cross along with the written charges against us. The record of our wrongdoing, with which Satan accuses us before God, is nailed with Christ to the cross. It is thereby destroyed, and the powers can no longer accuse us; we are innocent in the eyes of God. Hence, they are disarmed.

Ephesians 3:10–11 presents different principalities and powers—those of the heavenly realms: “His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Here we see the angelic hosts being shown the wisdom and purpose of God in the plan of salvation through Christ. Angels, both holy and unholy, witness the glory of God and the preeminence of Christ above all creatures in the church, those who are saved and preserved by His power (Ephesians 1:20–21).

Some of us speak frequently about a separate physical and spiritual realm. The biblical support for that dichotomy is drawn to some extent from II Corinthians 4:18 where the unseen things are thought to correspond to the spiritual realm and the seen to the physical. Since things are either seen or not, then the two realms must be distinctly separate, or so it seems.

Personally, I am unconvinced of this complete separation. For one thing the Greek word translated eternal is more accurately "age lasting" and not everlasting. Secondly, as one introduced to fulfilled eschatology and the concept of a transition age between the old covenant of a physical kingdom and the new covenant of a spiritual one, I notice the implied overlap of the physical and spiritual. What does this transitional overlap period teach us but the fact that the two realms are not mutually exclusive. One points to the other. Those in one interact in the other. The truth addresses both realms simultaneously.

Some may insist that the transition age was not symbolic or intended to symbolize my suggested integration of physical and spiritual, teaching instead that the transitions was first a mechanism to ease old covenant Jews into a new covenant reality and concurrently create a seedling of "firstfruit" believers out of which to plant the eternal kingdom . That may be, but and I like to think that any aspect of the Bible story reveals deeper truth. In that respect I tend to see more in the transition than a grace period for Jews and the budding of spiritual Israel from the seedbed of the remnant.

The message of the cross is unmistakably clear. The Son of God came into the world to bear witness to the truth, not to judge the world but that the world might be saved through Him (Mark 10:45). This is the power and wisdom of God. The gospel evokes very different responses from its hearers: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18).

God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, the weak things of the world to shame the strong, and the “low and despised” things of the world to be raised up for His glory (1 Corinthians 1:27–29, NET). This is the wisdom of God. Wisdom is the power of insight to use knowledge to one’s advantage, and God definitely has the advantage. “God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who would believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21).

The message of the cross is that the Son of God was crucified to atone for the sins of mankind and secure pardon and salvation for all who would believe in Him. It is this message that is considered folly by those who are perishing—those who disbelieve God’s sentence of death on humanity and prefer human ideas over God’s truth. The message of the cross is divinely inspired, holy, and eternal. It is the love of God come into the world through the Son to destroy the works of the devil (John 18:37; 1 John 3:8). The message of the cross is the wisdom and power of God to keep the promise of John 3:16, to give eternal life to all who believe in the Son. It is also the grace of God rendering to the believer the gifts of repentance, justification, and sanctification, all of which find their meaning in Christ crucified (Luke 23:33–43).

If the message of the cross is the power and wisdom of God, then why is the cross foolishness to some? Here are some reasons:

1. The cross is foolishness to some because in their wisdom they judge the Bible as an antiquated, mystical book. They see Scripture as irrelevant, silly, and valueless in a post-Christian era. They reject the teaching that they are wretched, poor, miserable, blind, and naked before a holy God (Revelation 3:15–19). “They knew God, [but] they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools” (Romans 1:21–22, KJV).

2. The message of the cross is foolishness to some because it

fails the “cleverness test” when compared

to the philosophies of men (Colossians 2:8).

Some mock, despise, and reject the message of the cross

as meaningless and unimportant.

Blinded by arrogance and lacking wisdom,

they see no beauty

in Christ and no value in the cross.

God is not mocked by such as these:

"For it is written,

"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the

clever I will set aside.

Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe?

Where is the debater of this age?

Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?’”

(1 Corinthians 1:19–20, NASB).

3. The message of the cross is foolishness to some because

wealth and status can erase the felt need for God

and the hope of glory.

Though the world is their focus, “all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2).

“For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh,

the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes

not from the Father but from the world”

(1 John 2:16).

4. The message of the cross is foolishness to some because in their pride they will not bend the knee at the foot of the cross. They do not allow their hearts to be broken from having sinned against a good, holy, and loving God. They have no godly sorrow driving them to seek forgiveness and restoration with God (Psalm 34:18; 51; Luke18:13; 2 Corinthians 7:9–11; Romans 10:13).

5. The cross is foolishness to some because they love their sin and do not want to change. Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:24–25). This is a radical call to turn around and go in a new direction. This requires repentance, a change of mind about God and the things of God.

6. The cross is foolishness to some because they reject the idea that a loving God would crucify His own Son to appease His own wrath. They view the cross as slaughterhouse religion, declaring the wisdom of God objectionable. They are mistaken. They do not know the love and goodness of God that condescended to step out from glory (John 1:1–4) to take their place on the cross.

7. The cross is foolishness to some because they are deceived and misled “by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8, ESV).

Church movements abandoning

the

message of the cross

are

misled by deceiving spirits

and

doctrines of demons

(1 Timothy 4:1).

The outcome is another gospel and a

Jesus that cannot save.

The apostle Paul warned of this eventuality:

"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!” (Galatians 1:8).

8. The cross is foolishness to some because

they do not know the Scriptures.

They lack a rudimentary understanding of the Bible,

having no foundation.

"My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge”

Hosea 4:6

Timothy “from childhood” knew the

Holy Scriptures,

and they were able to make him

“wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus”

(2 Timothy 3:15).

Timothy knew the prophecies, promises, and

doctrines of Scripture, and

that knowledge was foundational to

his faith

in the

Son of God, the Messiah.

The story of Barabbas’s pardon is a remarkable comparison to the life granted to a believer in Christ. For Barabbas, pardon meant Jesus would take his place on the cross to endure the wrath of Rome (Matthew 27:16–22). For the believer, pardon means Jesus took our place on the cross to endure the wrath of God (Romans 3:24–26).

With Rome appeased, Barabbas was

released to walk free. With God appeased,

we are released to walk in newness of life

(Romans 3:25, 8:1; 1 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 4:1; 1 Peter 3:18).

Those who are blind to the wisdom and power of God need a work of the Holy Spirit in their hearts: “The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:14). They need to see the message of the cross as a loving invitation from God to walk in newness of life (John 14:6).

If they continue in unbelief,

labeling the message of the cross as foolishness, the

tragic result will be

fully experienced condemnation from God

(John 3:18).

There is only one name whereby they can be saved,

and that is the

name of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12)

When a division arose in the

church of Corinth, the apostle Paul blamed the

root of the trouble

on the Corinthian believers’

misunderstanding

of the true nature of wisdom.

Many who considered themselves wise were

using their own puffed-up intellect

to divide and destroy the church. Thus,

Paul spends 1 Corinthians 1:18–25 contrasting

worldly wisdom with the wisdom of God.

Divine wisdom seems foolish and weak to those who

value human knowledge, but

Paul asserts, “The foolishness of God is

wiser than men, and

the weakness of God is stronger than men”

(1 Corinthians 1:25, ESV).

Paul begins his argument by explaining

that “the message of the cross [or ‘the gospel’]

is foolishness to those who are perishing,

but to us who are being saved it is the power of God”

(1 Corinthians 1:18).

According to the world’s way of thinking,

the gospel is utter foolishness,

dying on a cross

is an act of weakness, and humility,

suffering,

and servanthood are attitudes of the unwise.

The Jewish people were looking for a

mighty, miracle-working, kingdom-conquering Savior (Acts 1:6).

They forgot the Old Testament prophecies of a Messiah

who would suffer and die (Psalm 22; Isaiah 53).

Because of their forgetfulness, Jesus called them foolish (Luke 24:13–35).

Paul tells the Corinthians that their human thinking is worthless, citing Isaiah 29:14, where the prophet reprimands and reminds Israel that “the wisdom of the wise will pass away, and the intelligence of the intelligent will disappear” (NLT). Later, Paul states, “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight” (1 Corinthians 3:19). Christians are not to rely on their own wisdom or the wisdom of the world. According to James, “such ‘wisdom’ does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic” (James 3:15).

God’s wisdom has long been regarded as foolishness to the world (Hosea 9:7; 1 Corinthians 4:9–10). Some of the world’s most brilliant philosophers, scholars, and debaters say the gospel of Jesus Christ is nonsense. Some people laugh at the message of salvation, “but to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ [and His saving work on the cross]

is the

power of God and

the

wisdom of God”

(1 Corinthians 1:24, NLT).

Using irony, Paul calls the

ministry of the gospel “foolish preaching”

because that is how the world sees it: “Since God in his wisdom

saw to it that the world would never know him through

human wisdom,

he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe”

1 Corinthians 1:21, NLT

Worldly wisdom

does not have the power to save anyone.

Instead,

it only destroys the work of

the gospel.

The foolishness of God is wiser than men means God’s wisdom far exceeds any human understanding and knowledge that people can possess. The message of Jesus Christ crucified is the ultimate wisdom and power of God (1 Corinthians 1:30). Those who believe the gospel and accept salvation in Jesus Christ are forgiven and set free from sin’s dominion, from divine judgment, and eternal death (2 Timothy 1:10; Romans 5:12; 6:23; Hebrews 2:14). Jesus Christ is the Christian’s wisdom and power, indeed, everything we need. What the world calls “the foolishness of God,” true believers understand to be “the power of God,” which conquers death and hell. What the lost call “the foolishness of God,” the saved know to be “the wisdom of God,” who is Jesus Christ crucified, the only One who grants eternal life to those who believe in His name.

A host of paradoxical principles exist in God’s kingdom.

In the Lord’s economy,

weakness and power are opposite

sides of the same coin.

The apostle Paul tells the Corinthians that

the gospel message—the good news that

Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross for our sins--

is “foolishness” and “weakness” to the unsaved:

“Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom,

but we preach Christ crucified:

a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,

but to those whom God has called,

both Jews and Greeks, Christ the

power of God and the wisdom of God.

For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom,

and the

weakness of God is stronger than human strength”

(1 Corinthians 1:22–25).

“The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved,” explains Paul, “know it is the very power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18, NLT).

The Jews stumbled over the cross of Christ because

they were looking for a

mighty military leader as their Savior.

When Jesus came as a humble servant and died a

disgraceful death on the cross, they disregarded Him.

They couldn’t see that the most

powerful of all beings was walking among them.

The message of the cross

represented weakness to the Jews and

simple-minded nonsense to the Greeks.

Today the gospel is regarded

in a similar light by

those who value the world’s ways of thinking.

To the unregenerate human mind, the

message of salvation in Jesus Christ

is an absurdity

swallowed by feeble-minded people.

What Paul dubbed “the weakness of God” is Jesus Christ crucified. This so-called “weakness” only appears to be void of strength, and only to those who are unredeemed. The world sees the Bible and the gospel message as weak. In truth, the gospel is “the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). God’s power, at its slightest, least detectable measure, is more potent than man’s greatest strength. No human-generated force or energy can touch or even come close to the strength and power of God.

Only through the weakness of God in Christ crucified could the unrivaled, unconquerable power of God be revealed: God “released [Jesus] from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip” (Acts 2:24, NLT; see also Romans 1:4).

God’s power not only resurrected

Jesus from the dead

but also “seated him in the place of honor at

God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.

Now he is far above any

ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else--

not only in this world but also in the world to come”

(Ephesians 1:20–21, NLT).

By the same weakness of God in Christ crucified, believers are brought to life with Christ when they repent of their sins and receive His salvation: “For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead. You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross” (Colossians 2:12–15, NLT). Through the weakness of God, we are empowered by Him to live in the freedom of Christ. One day God will raise us up by the same power that raised Jesus from the dead (1 Corinthians 6:14). He will take our weak human bodies and transform them into glorious heavenly bodies (Philippians 3:21; 1 Corinthians 15:42–44).

The weakness of God in Christ crucified opened the way for believers to be set free from sin’s control and sin’s curse (Romans 6:6; 8:3; Titus 2:14; Hebrews 7:25). For the child of God, Jesus broke the power of the devil by the power of the cross. Death and the fear of death have been defeated and destroyed (Hebrews 2:14–15; 1 Corinthians 15:26, 54–57). We gain eternal life through Christ’s humble, submissive sacrifice (John 6:40; 11:25–26; 1 Corinthians 15:22; 1 Peter 3:18; 1 John 5:11–12, 20).

German pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “God lets himself be pushed out of the world on to the cross. He is weak and powerless in the world, and that is precisely the way, the only way, in which he is with us and helps us . . . not by virtue of his omnipotence, but by virtue of his weakness and suffering” (Christian Quotations, Manser, M., ed., 2016).

The nature of God’s weakness in the unequaled sacrifice of His Son can only be grasped by those who belong to His kingdom. Jesus Christ “was crucified in weakness” but “now lives by the power of God” (2 Corinthians 13:4, NLT). The Lord of the universe chooses “the foolish things of the world to shame the wise” and “the weak things of the world to shame the strong” (1 Corinthians 1:27).

God even uses frail,

ordinary humans to accomplish

His will on earth

“to show that this all-surpassing power is from God

and not from us”

(2 Corinthians 4:7).

The weakness of God is the obverse

power of God.

It is the Lamb of God

who was slain for our sins and the

resurrected King of Glory who reigns forever

on heaven’s throne.

Don’t suppose for a minute that I have

come to demolish the Scriptures--

either

God’s Law or the Prophets

I’m not here to demolish but to complete.

I am going to put it all together,

pull it all together in a vast panorama.

God’s Law is more real and lasting than

the stars in the sky

and the ground at your feet.

Long after stars burn out and earth wears out,

God’s Law

will be alive and working

But when the time had fully come,

God sent his Son,

born of a woman, born under law”

(Galatians 4:4).

God the Father sent His Son

when

“the time had fully come.”

1) There was a great anticipation among the Jews of that time that the Messiah would come. The Roman rule over Israel made the Jews hungry for the Messiah’s coming.

2) Rome had unified much of the world under its government, giving a sense of unity to the various lands. Also, because the empire was relatively peaceful, travel was possible, allowing the early Christians to spread the gospel. Such freedom to travel would have been impossible in other eras.

3) While Rome had conquered militarily, Greece had conquered culturally. A “common” form of the Greek language (different from classical Greek) was the trade language and was spoken throughout the empire, making it possible to communicate the gospel to many different people groups through one common language.

4) The fact that the many false idols had failed to give them victory over the Roman conquerors caused many to abandon the worship of those idols. At the same time, in the more “cultured” cities, the Greek philosophy and science of the time left others spiritually empty in the same way that the atheism of communist governments leaves a spiritual void today.

5) The mystery religions of the time emphasized a savior-god and required worshipers to offer bloody sacrifices, thus making the gospel of Christ which involved one ultimate sacrifice believable to them. The Greeks also believed in the immortality of the soul (but not of the body).

6) The Roman army recruited soldiers from among the provinces, introducing these men to Roman culture and to ideas (such as the gospel) that had not reached those outlying provinces yet. The earliest introduction of the gospel to Britain was the result of the efforts of Christian soldiers stationed there.

The above statements are based on men looking at that time and speculating about why that particular point in history was a good time for Christ to come. But we understand that God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8), and these may or may not have been some reasons for why He chose that particular time to send His Son. From the context of Galatians 3 and 4, it is evident that God sought to lay a foundation through the

Jewish Law that would prepare for the

coming of the Messiah.

The Law was meant to help people understand the

depth of their sinfulness

(in that they were incapable of keeping the Law)

so that they might more readily

accept the cure for that sin through

Jesus the Messiah

(Galatians 3:22-23; Romans 3:19-20).

The Law was also “put in charge” (Galatians 3:24)

to lead people

to

Jesus as the

Messiah

It did this through its many prophecies concerning the

Messiah which Jesus fulfilled.

Add to this the sacrificial system that pointed to the need for a sacrifice for sin as well as its own inadequacy (with each sacrifice always requiring later additional ones). Old Testament history also painted pictures of the person and work of Christ through several events and religious feasts (such as the willingness of Abraham to offer up Isaac, or the details of the Passover during the exodus from Egypt, etc.).

Finally, Christ came when He did in fulfillment of specific prophecy. Daniel 9:24-27 speaks of the “seventy weeks” or the seventy “sevens.” From the context, these “weeks” or “sevens” refer to groups of seven years, not seven days. We can examine history and line up the details of the first sixty-nine weeks (the seventieth week will take place at a future point). The countdown of the seventy weeks begins with “the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem” (verse 25). This command was given by Artaxerxes Longimanus in 445 B.C. (see Nehemiah 2:5). After seven “sevens” plus 62 “sevens,” or 69 x 7 years, the prophecy states, “the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary” and that the “end will come like a flood” (meaning major destruction) (v. 26). Here we have an unmistakable reference to the Savior’s death on the cross. A century ago in his book The Coming Prince, Sir Robert Anderson gave detailed calculations of the sixty-nine weeks, using ‘prophetic years,’ allowing for leap years, errors in the calendar, the change from B.C. to A.D., etc., and figured that the sixty-nine weeks ended on the very day of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, five days before His death. Whether one uses this timetable or not, the point is that the timing of Christ’s incarnation ties in with this detailed prophecy recorded by Daniel over five hundred years beforehand.

The timing of Christ’s incarnation was such that the people of that time were prepared for His coming. The people of every century since then have more than sufficient evidence that Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah through His fulfillment of the Scriptures that pictured and prophesied His coming in great detail.

Galatians 6:2 states, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (emphasis added). What exactly is the law of Christ, and how is it fulfilled by carrying each other’s burdens? While the law of Christ is also mentioned in 1 Corinthians 9:21, the Bible nowhere specifically defines what precisely is the law of Christ. However, most Bible teachers understand the law of Christ to be what Christ stated were the greatest commandments in Mark 12:28–31, “‘Which commandment is the most important of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The most important is, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’”

The law of Christ, then, is to love God with all of our being and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. In Mark 12:32–33, the scribe who asked Jesus the question responds with,

“To love him with all your heart,

with all your understanding and with all your strength,

and to love your neighbor as yourself

is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

In this, Jesus and the scribe agreed that those

two commands are the core of the entire Old Testament Law.

All of the Old Testament Law can be placed in the

category of “loving God” or “loving your neighbor.”

Various New Testament scriptures state that

Jesus fulfilled the

Old Testament Law,

bringing it to completion and conclusion

(Romans 10:4; Galatians 3:23–25; Ephesians 2:15).

In place of the Old Testament Law, Christians are to

obey the law of Christ.

Rather than trying to remember the over 600 individual commandments in the Old Testament Law, Christians are simply to focus on loving God and loving others. If Christians would truly and wholeheartedly obey those two commands, we would be fulfilling everything that God requires of us.

Christ freed us from the bondage of the hundreds of commands in the Old Testament Law and instead calls on us to love. First John 4:7–8 declares, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” First John 5:3 continues,

"This is love for God: to obey His commands.

And His commands are not burdensome.”

Some use the fact that we are not under the Old Testament Law as an excuse to sin. The apostle Paul addresses this very issue in Romans. “What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!” (Romans 6:15). For the follower of Christ, the avoidance of sin is to be accomplished out of love for God and love for others.

Love is to be our motivation.

When we recognize the value of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf,

our response is to be love, gratitude, and obedience.

When we understand the sacrifice Jesus made for us and others, our response is to be to follow His example in expressing love to others. Our motivation for overcoming sin should be love, not a desire to legalistically obey a series of commandments. We are to obey the law of Christ because we love Him, not so that we can check off a list of commands that we successfully obeyed.

The commands of God

and the

demands of Scripture upon our lives

are encompassing;

it strains credulity for any believer to claim that he is living in perfect obedience to all that God has said.

Jesus said that the greatest commandment is “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37) and that the second is similar: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:38). It is one thing for a believer to say that there is no known area of rebellion against God in his or her life, but it is quite another to say that he or she loves God wholly and perfectly. It is one thing to say that a believer does not harbor any hatred for his neighbor, but quite another to assert that the believer loves his neighbors the way he loves himself.

In the

Sermon on the Mount,

Jesus speaks much about the importance and value of the Law: “For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished” (Matthew 5:18). The accomplishing of the Law was realized in Jesus Himself, who came to fulfill the Law (verse 17). In verse 19, Jesus says, “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.”

In other words, the Law is perfect and holy, and every command that God gave is equally important. The commandments are so important, Jesus said, that if someone sets aside what might be considered “one of the least” of them, then that person will be called “least in the kingdom of heaven.” Conversely, the one who teaches the whole Law—and obeys it—will be called “great” in the kingdom.

It is important to remember to whom Jesus was speaking in the Sermon on the Mount, namely, Jews in Israel who were still under the dispensation of the Law. At the time of Jesus’ address to the multitudes in Matthew 5, the Law was in full effect; the temple was standing, the sacrifices were being offered, and the veil was intact. When we make application of Jesus’ words to the church today, we need to distinguish between the moral laws that God gave and the ceremonial and civil laws. When Jesus cried, “It is finished!” from the cross, some laws, such as those regulating sacrifice and worship, were obviously fulfilled because Christ Jesus was the final and complete sacrifice. Other commands, such as the command not to murder or lie, are still as valid now as ever. In case there is any doubt, the moral laws are repeated in the New Testament epistles, whereas the other laws (concerning diet, observance of days, etc.) are not repeated for the church.

One day, Jesus will return to the earth to set up His kingdom (Daniel 2:44; Revelation 11:15). Jesus’ reference to the “least in the kingdom of heaven” in Matthew 5:19 suggests that there will be different levels of honor in the kingdom. The criteria used for assigning honor seem to be based on the handling of God’s Word. Those who received God’s Word and fulfilled their responsibilities in God’s sight will be called “great,” but those who rejected parts of God’s Word and shirked their responsibilities will be called “least.” This corresponds to the believers’ appearance before the judgment seat of Christ one day, where we will be rewarded based on how faithfully we served Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10). Some of us will “suffer loss” when our work “will be shown for what it is” and its quality does not pass the test (see 1 Corinthians 3:11–15).

Immediately after speaking of those who are least in the kingdom of heaven, the Lord Jesus indirectly condemns the Pharisees and religious teachers for their misconduct concerning the Law: “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). The Pharisees, then, were examples of those who “set aside” some of the commandments, and they would suffer shame for it (see also Mark 7:1–13).

Not only did their actions diminish

some parts of the Law,

but they had

no true righteousness—because they

rejected Christ.

In summary,

Jesus taught that the Law is good

(Matthew 5:18–19), and

the righteousness

of the

Law is fulfilled in Himself

(verse 17).

His message was not contrary to the Law; rather,

His words confirmed the

Law and His works accomplished the Law.

Those who lightly esteem

God’s Word

will themselves be lightly esteemed.

Greatness in the kingdom of heaven will

not be based on one’s gifts

but upon how one handles the

Word of God

(see 2 Timothy 2:15).

The book of Acts,

also called

Acts of the Apostles,

does not specifically identify its author. From

Luke 1:1–4 and Acts 1:1–3,

we know that the same author wrote both

Luke and Acts

The tradition from the earliest days of the church

has been that Luke,

a companion of the apostle Paul, wrote the

books of Luke and Acts

(Colossians 4:14; 2 Timothy 4:11)

The book of Acts

was written to provide a history of the

early church.

The emphasis of the book is the

fulfillment

of the

Great Commission.

Acts records the apostles being

Christ’s witnesses

in

Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria,

and the

surrounding world

The book of Acts sheds light

on the gift of the Holy Spirit,

who empowers, guides,

teaches, and serves as our Counselo

Reading the book of Acts,

we are enlightened and encouraged by the

power of the gospel

as it spread

throughout the world and transformed lives.

Many miracles were performed during this time by the apostles to validate their message. The book of Acts covers the transitional time between the ascension of Christ and the completion of the New Testament canon, and

the apostolic miracles

were God’s means of authenticating

His message through the men who

penned the Bible.

Both the Apostle and the baptist are described in John 1.The beginning of the Gospel of John can be a little confusing. The Apostle John wrote the book, but he’s not the “John” this chapter is about—it’s John the Baptist. When John the Apostle does refer to himself, he almost never says “I” or “me” or even “John,” but he calls himself “the disciple whom Jesus loved”1 or the “other disciple.”2
John the Apostle was a follower of John the Baptist before the Savior began His ministry. So were some of the Lord’s other Apostles. John the Baptist’s mission was to prepare people for the Savior,3 so the fact that some of his followers recognized the Savior when He came meant John had done a good job!

It seems something John the Apostle and John the Baptist had in common was that they didn’t want to take too much credit for themselves. Both testified of the Savior and kept the focus on Him, where it belonged. Good job, Johns!

John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7; 21:20, John 20:2–8, John 1:15

Acts 1:8: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,

and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 2:4: “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”

Acts 4:12: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

Acts 4:19–20: “But Peter and John replied, ‘Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.’”

Acts 9:3–6: “As [Saul] neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Saul asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. ‘Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.’”

Acts 16:31: “So they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,

and you will be saved.’”

The book of Acts

gives the history of the Christian church

and the spread

of the gospel of Jesus Christ,

as well as the mounting opposition to it. Although many

faithful servants were used to

preach and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ, Saul, also called

Paul, was the most influential

Before he was converted,

Paul zealously persecuted Christians. Paul’s dramatic conversion on the Damascus road (Acts 9:1–31) is a highlight of the book of Acts. After his conversion he went to the opposite extreme of loving God and preaching His Word with power and fervency in the Spirit of the true and living God. The disciples were empowered by the Holy Spirit to be His witnesses in Jerusalem (Acts 1—8:3), in Judea and Samaria (8:4—12:25), and to the ends of the earth (13:1—28:31). Included in the last section are Paul’s three missionary journeys (13:1—21:16), his trials in Jerusalem and Caesarea (21:17—26:32) and his journey to Rome (27:1—28:31).

The book of Acts

serves

as a transition from the

Old Covenant to

the New

This transition is seen in several key events in Acts. First, there was a change in the ministry of the Holy Spirit, whose primary function in the Old Testament was the external “anointing” of God’s people, among them Moses (Numbers 11:17), Othniel (Judges 3:8–10), Gideon (Judges 6:34), and Saul (1 Samuel 10:6–10). After the ascension of Jesus, the Spirit came to live in the very hearts of believers (Romans 8:9–11; 1 Corinthians 3:16), guiding and empowering them from within. The indwelling Spirit is the gift of God to those who come to Him in faith.

Paul’s conversion in Acts 9 is a dramatic example of the power of God unto salvation (see Romans 1:16) and the opening of spiritually blinded eyes. Paul admitted that, prior to meeting the risen Savior, he was the most zealous of Israelites and was blameless “concerning righteousness based on the law” (Philippians 3:6), going so far as to persecute those who taught salvation by grace through faith in Christ. But, after his conversion, Paul realized that all his legalistic efforts were worthless, and he considered them “rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith” (Philippians 3:8–9). Before he met Christ, Paul had been blinded by a pharisaical misinterpretation of the law and an inflated opinion of his own righteousness. After he met Christ, the “scales fell from Saul’s eyes,” as it were (Acts 9:18). His boasting of his own goodness was replaced by his glorying in the cross of Jesus Christ (Romans 3:27; Galatians 6:14).

Peter’s vision of the sheet full of unclean animals in Acts 10:9–15 is another sign of the transition from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant’s unity of Jew and Gentile in one universal Church. The “unclean” animals in Peter’s vision symbolized the Gentiles, who were declared “cleansed” by God through the sacrificial death of Christ. The Old Covenant law had served its purpose (see Galatians 3:23–29), and both Jews and Gentiles are united in the New Covenant of grace through their faith in the death and resurrection of Christ.

Practical Application: God can do amazing things through ordinary people when He empowers them through His Spirit. The book of Acts shows how God essentially took a group of fisherman and commoners and used them to turn the world upside down (Acts 17:6). God took a Christian-hating murderer and transformed him into history’s greatest Christian evangelist, the author of almost half the books of the New Testament. God used the persecution the Christians endured to help stimulate the incredibly rapid expansion of the fledgling church. God can and does do the same through us—changing our hearts, empowering us by the Holy Spirit, and giving us a passion to spread the good news of salvation through Christ. If we try to accomplish God’s work in the world in our own power, we will fail. Like the disciples in Acts 2, we must faithfully proclaim the gospel, trust God for the results, and devote ourselves “to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42).

Are John the Baptist and John the disciple the same person?
When John the Apostle does refer to himself, he almost never says “I” or “me” or even “John,” but he calls himself “the disciple whom Jesus loved”1 or the “other disciple.” John the Apostle was a follower of John the Baptist before the Savior began His ministry. So were some of the Lord's other Apostles.

There are two prominent people in
the New Testament named John,
and both of their profiles are shown below:

• John the Baptist
• John the Apostle

John the Baptist

John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus Christ. He was born to the elderly Zechariah and his barren wife Elizabeth (similar to Abraham and Sarah). Elizabeth was a relative of Mary, the mother of Jesus, and both became pregnant a few months apart. (Luke 1:41-42). Both were visited by the angel, Gabriel.
John grew up in the wilderness and preached in the wilderness. His message was for people to repent because the Kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew 3:2). John baptized his followers in the Jordan River, to signify the drowning of their old life and their emergence from the water into a new life. John, as did Jesus later on, ran into conflict with the Pharisees and Sadducees for whom he had sharp words (Matthew 3:7-12).

John baptized Jesus, and proclaimed Him the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus Himself appraised John in Matthew 11:7-15. John was much more than a prophet, surpassing his predecessors in greatness, and comparable to Elijah. But John's generation did not accept him, alleging instead that he was demon possessed (Matthew 11:17-18).

John's role as forerunner to Jesus was alluded to in a prophecy from Isaiah 40:3, which spoke of A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God." There is another prophecy, in Malachi 3:1, that also alludes to John the Baptist's role in preparing the way for Jesus Christ.

John was beheaded AD 29 by Herod Antipas who imprisoned him in revenge for John's condemnation of his incestuous marriage to his brother's wife (Luke 3:19-20). Herodias' daughter, danced for Herod, who rewarded her by offering her whatever she wished. On the advice of her mother, she requested the head of John the Baptist on a platter. Herod was grieved at being requested to execute him, but having given his oath before witnesses, he commanded that it be done (Matthew 14:1-11, Mark 6:14-28)

John the Apostle

John the Apostle was one of the original 12 apostles. He is the author of five New Testament books, including the Gospel of John, which is sometimes called the book of John. John, his brother James and their father Zebedee were Galilean fisherman. Jesus called John and James to leave their careers as fishermen and to become His apostles. Soon after, John and James became part of an inner circle around Jesus with Peter and sometimes Andrew. John along with Andrew had been disciples of John the Baptist and became followers of Jesus after He was baptized by John the Baptist.

John was the "beloved disciple" who leaned on Jesus during the Last Supper (John 13:23), who was "known to the high priest" (John 18:15), who was entrusted by Jesus with the care of His mother Mary (John 19:26), and who outran Peter to the empty tomb (John 20:2-4). After the resurrection, John appears as one of the leaders of the early church.

According to Papias, one of John's disciples, John later went to the city of Ephesus. He was exiled under Emperor Domitian to the island Patmos. It was there that he wrote the Book of Revelation, which is the 27th book of the New Testament. Under Nerva, John returned to Ephesus, and there composed the Gospel of John, the 4th book of the New Testament, and three Epistles, called John 1, John 2, John 3. John reportedly died at a very old age.

John and his brother James were called the "Sons of thunder"

by Jesus (Mark 3:17).

Next person in the Bible: John the Apostle

Daniel was an Old Testament prophet who was among the Jews who were taken captive into Babylon about 2600 years ago. He rose to a high position in the Babylonian government. Daniel saw and described the great world empires that were to come. He also prophesied about a Messiah.
Below is a partial listing of Daniel's prophecies.
Psalm 2:1-3

Psalm 2 prophecy that foreshadowed Gentile opposition to Jesus

Psalm 2:7

Bible prophecy from Psalm 2:7 foreshadows Messiah as son of God
Psalm 16:8-11
King David prophesied about resurrection
Psalm 22:1,7,8,16,17,18
Psalm 22 foreshadowed the crucifixion of Jesus
Psalm 41:9
Jesus was betrayed by a friend

The Bible has many prophecies that many scholars traditionally have interpreted as being about the End Times. These prophecies are scattered throughout the Old Testament, including the books of Daniel and Zechariah, as well as in the New Testament books of Luke, Matthew and Revelation.
Below is a selection of Bible prophecies involving the End Times and the return of Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-9
The "day of the Lord" will take people by surprise
2 Peter 3:1-18
Jesus' return will be unexpected

Daniel 12:1-3
The prophet Daniel foreshadowed resurrection on judgment day
Isaiah 26:19
Isaiah prophesied about resurrection
Job 19:25-27
The book of Job foreshadows details of resurrection (fulfilled by the Messiah)
John 3:16
All who believe in Jesus will be saved
Luke 21:33
Jesus said his words would never be forgotten
Matthew 24:14
Before the end comes, the Gospel will be preached to the entire world
Matthew 24:21-22
Jesus spoke of a day of unequaled destruction and suffering
Matthew 24:23-25
There will be false messiahs before Jesus returns
Matthew 24:29-31
Jesus will return (to judge the living and the dead)
Matthew 24:36-37
No one will know the hour or the day of Jesus' return
Matthew 24:14
Jesus foretold that the Gospel would be preached throughout the world
Psalm 16:8-11
King David prophesied about resurrection

Ephesians 4:1–10 is Paul's compelling description of Christian unity. Every saved believer, regardless of talent or skill, Jew or Gentile, male or female, is saved by the same faith in the same God. Each Christian, therefore, is part of a single, universal family of believers in Jesus Christ. At the same time, God gives different gifts to different people, so that they can serve the many roles needed to accomplish His purposes here on earth. Rather than being concerned about what gifts we might lack, each Christian can rejoice in our unity, and focus on serving God to the best of our ability.

All saved Christians are part of a single, unified family, part of the ''body'' of Christ. At the same time, different believers are given different talents.

Matthias Chosen15 At this time Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren (a gathering of about one hundred and twenty persons was there together), and said,16 “Brethren, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 For he was counted among us and received his share in this ministry.”

What does Ephesians 4:11 mean?

This important verse mentions some of the spiritual leaders Christ gives as "gifts" to the church. First, notice that these leaders are given by God. Though God encourages learning and training, God's calling is the first priority for any of these leaders.

Second, there are a variety of leaders. Apostles primarily traveled to share the gospel and start new congregations. Pastors and teachers focused on leading a particular congregation or possibly groups of local house churches. The structure of the original Greek seems to link "shepherds" and "teachers" as a single office.

Third, it is important to note that this list was written for a particular audience. Paul wrote to the Christians of Ephesus regarding the types of leaders they were encountering. This would have included Paul as an apostle. We now live in a time after this initial period of apostles and prophets. Though people today may serve in similar ways, they are different from the actual apostles and prophets of the New Testament.

Evangelists are literally those who share the good news. This word is used elsewhere only of Philip (Acts 21:8) and of Timothy, who was commanded to do the work of an evangelist (2 Timothy 4:5). That may or may not have been his primary spiritual gift. Pastors are mentioned elsewhere as elders (1 Timothy 3; Titus 1) and lead local congregations. Teachers are those with the ability to effectively communicate God's Word to others. All pastors must have the ability to teach (1 Timothy 3:2), but some people may be gifted as teachers while not called to be pastors (Romans 12:7).

Ephesians 4:11–16 discusses both the gift of spiritual leaders and the importance of mature, loving, unified Christianity. Some people are endowed with gifts of teaching, preaching, and so forth. It is crucial to the health of Christian congregations that these members use their God-given talents appropriately. At the same time, different members of a church have different abilities. The community of believers functions best when all of those individual pieces are working together, through their unique roles. A healthy church is far more powerful than a ''big'' church.

Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord,

beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for

you have

been called by God.

Until we all reach unity in the faith

and in the

knowledge of the Son of God and become mature,

attaining to the

whole measure

of the fullness of Christ

Romans 8:28
And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.

Romans 11:29
For God's gifts and His call are irrevocable.

Romans 12:1
Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

Ephesians 2:10
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.

Ephesians 3:1
For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles...

Philippians 1:27
Nevertheless, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending side by side for the faith of the gospel,

Colossians 1:10
so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,

The word knowledge in the Bible denotes an understanding, a recognition, or an acknowledgment. To “know” something is to perceive it or to be aware of it. Many times in Scripture, knowledge carries the idea of a deeper appreciation of something or a relationship with someone. The Bible is clear that the knowledge of God is the most valuable knowledge a human being can possess. But it is also clear that simply being aware of God’s existence is not sufficient; the knowledge of God must encompass the deep appreciation for and relationship with Him.

We know from Scripture that knowledge is a gift from God. Proverbs 2:6 tells us that the Lord gives wisdom that comes from His own mouth—the Word of God—and that the wisdom of God results in knowledge and understanding. James adds that those who lack wisdom have only to ask for it and God will give it abundantly and generously. God’s desire is for all to know Him, appreciate Him, and have a relationship with Him; therefore, He grants to all who truly seek Him the wisdom that leads to knowledge. Further, because knowledge is God’s to give, those who reverence Him will receive it. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7). The word fear here is not dread or terror but a reverence for God, respect for His law, His will, His rule in our lives, and the fear of offending Him, which will lead us to obey, worship and praise Him.

God gives the gift of knowledge out of His infinite store of knowledge. Psalm 19:2 tells us that God’s creation reveals the Creator’s knowledge: “Night after night [the skies] display knowledge.” The vastness of God’s knowledge and creative power are on display continually and are clearly seen in what He has created, as Paul reminds us in Romans 1:19-20. Not only is God’s knowledge infinite, but it is absolute: “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! / How unsearchable his judgments, / and his paths beyond tracing out!” (Romans 11:33). When God came to earth in the Person of Jesus Christ, He became the embodiment of knowledge: “. . . Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:2-3).

Human knowledge, apart from God, is flawed. The Bible also refers to it as worthless because it isn’t tempered by love (1 Corinthians 13:2). The knowledge man possesses tends to make one proud. “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up” (1 Corinthians 8:1). Therefore, the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake, without seeking God, is foolishness. “Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom . . . but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind. For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief” (Ecclesiastes 1:17-18). Worldly knowledge is a false knowledge which is opposed to the truth, and Paul urges us to “Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith” (1 Timothy 6:20-21). Human knowledge is opposed to God’s knowledge and therefore is no knowledge at all; rather, it is foolishness.

For the Christian, knowledge implies a relationship. For example, when the Bible says that “Adam knew Eve his wife” (Genesis 4:1, NKJV), it means he had a physical union with her. Spiritual relationships are also described this way. Jesus used the word know to refer to His saving relationship with those who follow Him: “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me” (John 10:14). He also told His disciples, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). By contrast, Jesus said to the unbelieving Jews, “You do not know [my Father]” (verse 55). Therefore, to know Christ is to have faith in Him, to follow Him, to have a relationship with Him, to love and be loved by Him. (See also John 14:7; 1 Corinthians 8:3; Galatians 4:9; and 2 Timothy 2:19.) Increasing in the knowledge of God is part of Christian maturity and is something all Christians are to experience as we “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).

The fullness of God is the totality of everything God is—His attributes, His character, His perfection, His holiness, His power, His love, et cetera. The fullness of God is His complete nature; it is who He is. The Bible mentions the “fullness” (Greek pleroma) of God in a few different senses, and it is important to consider the context when interpreting these passages. Let’s briefly discuss three of the most direct references to the fullness of God, found in Colossians and Ephesians:

In Colossians 1:19, Paul writes that “it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in [Christ]” (NASB). In Colossians 2:9, we see that “in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.” Both passages powerfully affirm the fact that Jesus is God. The fullness, or totality, of God is found in Christ. Everything that can be said of God can be said of Jesus Christ (see John 14:7–11). Paul continues with another incredible fact: that, in Christ, we ourselves have been “brought to fullness” (Colossians 2:10). Christians find their completeness in Christ and no one else. Jesus, who is the fullness of God in bodily form, makes us whole by His grace.

Paul conveys the same idea in Ephesians 3:19. At the end of a lengthy prayer, Paul makes a series of requests, climaxing with a prayer that his readers “may be filled to all the fullness of God” (NASB). Obviously, none of God’s creatures can achieve the fullness of God in the sense of becoming equal with God. Rather, being filled to all the fullness of God describes the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise: “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them” (John 14:23). God indwells believers, and they become “partakers of divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4, ESV). The riches of God are available to us. God by His grace, fills us with His Holy Spirit, enabling us to live more like Christ, in whom the fullness dwells (Ephesians 5:18–20).

Jesus said that “whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14). A never-ending source of life and satisfaction and spiritual abundance—this fountain of living water is the fullness of God within the believer.

Francis Foulkes, a theologian and commentator, expresses the heart of Ephesians 3:19 well: “He [Paul] thus prays ultimately that they may receive not any attribute of God, or any gift of his, not love, not knowledge, not strength, alone or in combination—but no less than the very highest he can pray for, the full indwelling of God. . . . Of course the eternal God can never be limited to the capacity of any one, or all, of his sinful creatures; at the same time Paul does not want to pray for anything less than that God’s people may be filled to (eis) the very fullest of himself that he seeks to bring into their lives” (The Letter of Paul to the Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary, Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub., 1989, p. 114). The goal of every Christian is to be filled completely with God, so that His character, His attributes, and His love define our existence.

In conclusion, the fullness of God refers to the totality of who God is. In one sense, the absolute fullness of God is unknowable for finite creatures. However, in His grace, God chooses to communicate with His creatures, offering them new life in Christ, indwelling them by the Holy Spirit, and ultimately filling them with His fullness. A powerful image from C. S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Lettersillustrates this well. In this fictional book, an elder demon is writing to his young nephew, attempting to explain God’s grand plan for humankind: “One must face the fact that all the talk about His [God’s] love for men, and His service being perfect freedom, is not (as one would gladly believe) mere propaganda, but an appalling truth. He really does want to fill the universe with a lot of loathsome little replicas of Himself—creatures whose life, on its miniature scale, will be qualitatively like His own, not because He has absorbed them but because their wills freely conform to His” (HarperCollins Pub., 1996, p. 38).

If you are a Christian, you can ask God to fill you with His fullness and have faith that “He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6, NASB). If you are not a Christian, Jesus invites you to a new relationship with God today. Why wait?

The phrase

“The fullness of the Gentiles”

is found only in Romans 11:25

“For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant

of this mystery,

lest ye should be wise in your own conceits;

that blindness in part is happened to Israel,

until the

fullness of the Gentiles be come in.”

If we are to correctly understand this verse we must first understand the context. Paul is writing to a very specific predominantly Gentile church (cf. verse 13), the church in Rome. Lest they become “high-minded ” (Romans 11:20) or “wise in their own conceits,” (Romans 11:25) Paul reminds them that God is not yet finished with Israel (the nation). The whole thought here is related to how God is, in this age, dealing with Israel. Remember God’s dealings up to this point with the Jewish people have been national. Israel, during the Church age, is set aside nationally while God speaks to both Jew and Gentile individually. The “blindness” of which Paul speaks in this verse is the blindness of national Israel that is the result of their national sins of idolatry and rebellion. God spoke of this national blindness to Isaiah when He sent him to proclaim His message to Israel (cf. Isa. 6:9, 10). This was a national blindness as is clearly indicated in Isaiah 6: 11, 12.

“Then said I, Lord, how long? And He answered, until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate, and the LORD have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.”

The context is clear. These verses are talking about national Israel, not individuals. Jesus Himself confirmed this as it is recorded in John 12:37- 41. But notice John 12:42. “Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him.” The blindness is national, not individual. Their rejection of the Messiahship of Yeshua was a national (political) act. God then set Israel, nationally, aside in order that the gospel, which they were to receive and then share with the entire world, might go to the Gentiles.

“I say then, have they [the Jew] stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their [the Jew’s] fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles for to provoke them [the Jews] to jealousy.” (Romans 11:11).

Thus God’s purpose in setting aside Israel nationally was so that the gospel could be delivered to the Gentiles in order that they in turn could take it to individual Jews.

“For as ye [Gentiles] in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their [the Jew’s] unbelief: even so have these [the Jews] also not believed, that through your[Gentiles’] mercy they [the Jews] also may obtain mercy.” (Romans 11:30, 31).

So the blindness is national (political) with a very positive Divine purpose for reaching the Jew first and also the Greek through the Gentiles who are saved by God’s grace as a direct result of Israel’s national blindness.
The issue, then, in Romans 11:25 is the mystery that obviously relates to national Israel and not the church. A Biblical mystery is a truth previously unrevealed in Old Testament times that is now being revealed (Ephesians 3:1-5). The conclusion of Israel’s national blindness is the mystery that is here being revealed. It relates to what is to be understood as the meaning of the phrase “the fullness of the Gentiles.”

God’s purpose in calling Abraham and his seed was that through Israel He would be glorified among all nations. God chose Israel for several reasons: to be the repository of His revelation; to preserve that revelation; to share that revelation; and thus glorify Himself. Israel did receive and, thank God, preserve the revelation. But they did not share the revelation. The penalty for failure was a temporary expulsion from the land. This included giving the land over into Gentile hands until such time as they would return to God. And fail they did. They refused to go among the Gentiles and share the revelation. The attitude of the prophet Jonah was typical of the Jewish attitude regarding the sharing of God’s revelation with those who were not Jews, Thus, by the time of Jesus, this was an attitude that went back at least seven centuries. For this, Jesus denounced the Jews in scathing terms (cf. Matthew 23:13-39). And for this, they rejected Him. Their rejection resulted in their national ejection from the land by the Romans in 70A.D. with the land given over into Gentile hands.

The Abrahamic Covenant, dealing with the possession of the land, was then set aside “until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in,” that is, until the day of the Gentiles’ testing shall be finished. One of the reasons why God chose Israel was that they might be a praise unto Him.

“This people have I formed for myself; they shall show forth my praise.”

(Isaiah 43:21).

It is interesting that the word “Jew” literally means “praise or praiser of God.” That thought follows through regarding the

divine purpose

in salvation as stated by Paul to the Ephesians:

“That we should

be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.”

Ephesians 2:12

Then speaking to Gentiles he goes on to state in the next verse; “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.” If you read Romans 11:11, 30, 31 carefully, you will see that the reason why God brought salvation to the Gentiles was that through the Gentiles He might win back Abraham’s seed to Himself by causing the Gentiles to provoke them, the Jews, to jealousy. In other words, God is calling out Gentiles to become members of the church, His body, in order that these same Gentiles would share the gospel with the Jews, bringing many back to their Messiah in order that God would be praised, as He had originally planned, through the salvation of both Jew and Gentile!

Why has this not happened? First, it has not happened because Gentiles have become “highminded”. They began to believe that they are superior to the Jews. Thus they fell into the very trap of which Paul warned them (Romans 11:18-21). Second, these Gentiles whom God called out to be partakers with the Jews in the spiritual blessings of the church have essentially done the same thing that the Jews did. In turning the blessings in upon themselves they thus refused to obediently share those blessings with the Jews.

This presents a third phase of Gentile failure. Not only has the Christ-rejecting world powers abused the Jews and blasphemed God in the treading down of His Holy City, Jerusalem, but the Gentiles, who have been professed followers of Israel’s Messiah, the Lord Jesus, have also failed by neglecting to keep God’s command to take the gospel message back to the Jew! Therefore, soon, the prophecy of Revelation 3:16, “I will spue thee out of my mouth” will be fulfilled. Why was Israel driven from her land? Was it not, among other reasons, because she refused to testify to the Gentiles? (cf. Isaiah 49:6). Thus shall God also spue backslidden Christendom out of His mouth because of their refusal to testify to the Jews. Is this not Paul’s message recorded in Romans 11:20-22?

“Because of unbelief they [the Jews] were broken off, and thou [Gentile believers] standest by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear: for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.”

It now becomes clear that “the fullness of the Gentiles” is not an allusion to a number in God’s mind of those Gentiles that must be saved before Israel’s blindness is removed. It simply means that when the measure of Gentile iniquity and opportunity is full, God will again turn to the Jewish nation to carry out through them His program for this world’s destiny. Consider Genesis 15:16.

“But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.”

In other words, God gave the Amorites a full opportunity, so that when He passed judgment upon them their iniquity was “full.” Consider also Daniel 8:23.
“And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.”

Again, we have the expression “full” meaning the full measure of sins. It has been suggested that the Greek word “pleroma” translated “fullness,” is used in scripture only in connection with blessing and not with judgment. But a careful investigation will easily prove this assumption false. In addition to the references we have already quoted above consider its use in Galatians 4:4where we read, “But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son.” There was no fullness of blessing either historically for the Jew or in the status of the Gentile world. The world was in fact in a state of corruption. As for Israel, she had reached her lowest ebb of spiritual and material decline. Obviously, “pleroma” does not mean “fullness of blessing” in this case. It simply means that Jesus came right on time according to God’s sovereign schedule.
The essence of Paul’s message in Romans 11:25 is that national Israel’s spiritual blindness will end when the Gentiles’ cup of iniquity is full.

Therefore, this has nothing to do

with a number in God’s mind of Gentiles that

must be saved before Christ may return!

“And so all Israel shall be saved.” (Romans 11:26). This speaks of the restoration of the nation of Israel both into the land and to His favor as necessitated by the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34). When this takes place the church will be gone. Both the earthly and spiritual promises given to Israel will be fulfilled at once! Consider Isaiah 66:7-9,

“Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. Who hath heard such a thing? Who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.”
Verse seven is a prediction of the first coming of Israel’s Messiah. The following verses predict the day when the Jewish people, as a nation, will go through a period of great travail (Daniel’s 70th week), come to a place where they will recognize both their national sin of rebellion and who is their true Messiah (Zechariah 12: 10), repent of their sin, and receive Him as their Messiah/King. Then the nation will be re-born, that is re-established both physically and spiritually, in a moment (cf. Zechariah 13:8,9). This becomes clear in Romans 11:27. “For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.” Thus it is predicted that God will go back to His covenant relation with Israel, which means a restored national relation, a re-gathering to their own land and the re-establishment of the Throne of David.

So, the phrase “The fullness of the Gentiles” is not predicting a number in God’s mind of Gentile conversions that, when reached, will cause Him to rapture away the church. Nor does it speak of a Gentile Church Age. This phrase speaks of the time when the institutional church will have reached the pinnacle of their failure of not sharing the gospel with Jewish people which will result in God removing the true believing church (the rapture) in preparation for His final judgment of the unbelieving world.[1]

This article was excerpted from Ken Symes’ book

Jews, Gentiles and the Church Age

with minor modifications. One of the modifications, suggested by the author, was to change the last two sentences in the book (which is not what the author intended to say), “This phrase speaks of judgment for the Gentile nations that will occur when their cup of iniquity is full. Thus, the teaching of a Gentile Church or Gentile Church Age is false and is no more than an excuse to not obediently evangelize the Jewish people.,” to what you read in the final 2 sentences of this article. If the author reprints the book this change will be made in future editions.

“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8, ESV). Other translations render the phrase elemental spirits of the world as “the elemental spiritual forces of this world” (NIV), “the rudiments of the world” (KJV), and “the powers of this world” (CEV).

The apostle Paul’s letter to the Christians in the Colossian church is a response to the news that many believers had been subscribing to heretical philosophies rather than sticking to the gospel of salvation by grace apart from works. The church had begun to add certain spiritual requirements to their doctrine, reflecting an adherence to Old Testament laws rather than following the wisdom of Jesus (Colossians 2:2–4). These new believers struggled to resolve their former legalistic beliefs with the radical concept of the complete sufficiency of Christ—both for salvation and sanctification.

Paul’s preface makes his purpose clear: “I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments” (Colossians 2:4). He reminds the Colossians of the faith they were taught and deters them from false thinking with a warning: “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8, ESV).

Some of the terms Paul uses in Colossians 2:8 are easy to understand. Anti-Christian philosophies, outright lies, and legalistic beliefs were to be considered false teaching because they go against the message of salvation through Christ alone. However, there is some question as to what Paul meant by the term elemental spirits of the world. The Greek word Paul uses in Colossians 2:8 means “primary and fundamental principles.” The same word is used in Galatians 4:3, “In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world” (emphasis added).

One view is that elemental spirits refers to the astral gods of former pagan religions or spirits in folklore derived from earth, air, fire, and water. Another belief is that these “elemental spirits” are the angels mentioned in Galatians 3:19 who were involved in the giving of the Old Testament law.

When we consider the context of Colossians 2:8, we can arrive at a better interpretation. Later in the same chapter, Paul again speaks of the “elemental spirits”: “If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations . . . according to human precepts and teachings?” (verses 20–22, ESV). Note that Paul equates the “elemental spirits of the world” with “regulations,” “human precepts,” and “teachings.” In verse 8, he links the “elemental spirits” to human tradition and philosophy. The “spirits” here are probably demonic beings who promote false doctrine (see 1 Timothy 4:1) or simply a reference to the doctrines themselves.

The “elemental spirits of the world” are hawking basic worldly ideas about religion and trying to pass them off as truth. The church must guard against anything that works against the gospel of Christ. Whether it be rituals, asceticism, or observance of rules, it cannot save. These ideas are “of the world” in that they involve material things and make sense to the worldly, unconverted mind. They are “elemental” in that they are so basic as to be childish (notwithstanding the false teachers’ highfalutin posturing).

Jesus came to set captives free—free from slavery to sin, free from eternal punishment—to fulfill the law, and finally to bridge the gap between man and God with a sacrifice that resulted in forgiveness forever (Matthew 5:17–20; Luke 4:18; Romans 7:6; Galatians 3:23). The biblical concept of salvation through Christ and God’s grace-filled forgiveness is the gospel delivered once and for all to the saints. We must now be “rooted and built up in [Christ], strengthened in the faith as [we] were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness” (Colossians 2:7). We must not return to the “elemental spirits of the world.”

Christians today may be enticed by the idea that checking all the boxes will earn favor in God’s eyes. We might think that, if we could just pray enough, serve the church enough, be perfect enough, then God would favor us. But none of these things will get us any closer to God’s love, grace, and forgiveness. God’s love is unconditional (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). God’s grace and forgiveness come through faith alone (Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:4–5). Jesus’ message is both beautifully simple and mysteriously complex (1 Timothy 3:16). We should not put our faith in works; rather, we must move beyond the elemental spirits of the world and keep our faith in Jesus alone as the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).

In Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, he writes to commend the Thessalonians and to encourage them to excel still more (1 Thessalonians 4:1 and 10). He commends them for their faith, love, and hope (1 Thessalonians 1:3) but acknowledges that he wants them to have more knowledge regarding their hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13). In that section of chapter 4, we may ask, “What does it mean that the dead in Christ shall rise first” (1 Thessalonians 4:16)?

Paul begins the section noting that he did not want the Thessalonians to be ignorant about those who had fallen asleep (i.e., died in Christ) so that they would not grieve as those who have no hope grieve (1 Thessalonians 4:13). Grief is a normal, natural response to the loss we experience when someone dies—even Jesus grieved when He saw the pain associated with Lazarus’ death (John 11:35). Paul is not suggesting the Thessalonians should not grieve at all; rather, he wants them to grieve, but not without hope. Even in grief the believer has hope, as Paul explains in the next few verses.

If we have believed in Jesus, we know that those who have died in Christ have eternal life and that they are with Him, for to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:6–8), and that He will bring them with Him when He returns (1 Thessalonians 4:14). But Paul reveals something remarkable to his readers in the next verse, and he does so affirming God’s authority on the matter: those who are alive and remain when He returns will not rise before those who have died in Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:15). After noting that key detail in the chronology, Paul explains what will actually take place: “The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thessalonians 4:16, NASB).

Paul had already explained that God would bring those who had died with Him, and now Paul says the dead in Christ will rise first. How can both be true? Paul clarifies further that those who are alive and remain would be caught up in the clouds with them to meet the Lord there (1 Thessalonians 4:17a). It is evident that the spirits of those who have died in Christ would return with Him and that their bodies would be resurrected and rise to be reunited with their spirits. Paul discusses this in simple terms in 1 Corinthians 15:52when he says, “The dead will be raised imperishable and we [who are not yet dead when the event takes place] will be changed” (NASB).

This event is often called the rapture (after the Latin word for “caught up”), and it is a grand event that reunites loved ones. The certainty of this resurrection and the reality of eternal life is what gives us hope even in the midst of grief. That the dead in Christ shall rise first (1 Thessalonians 4:16) is simply one important chronological aspect of that event, and it shows how important those who have died in Christ are to Him. But the greatest joy and hope of the event is not simply that loved ones will be reunited, but that we shall all be together with Him (1 Thessalonians 4:17)! Because of the great joy and hope these words provide, Paul exhorts his readers to encourage one another with these words. The promise of resurrection and the details of the rapture matter, as they are expressions of exactly how God will resolve the problem of death and the separation that it brings. Because of His work, even when we are grieving, we have hope.

Believers in Christ can look forward in hopefulness to the day when Jesus will descend with the voice of the archangel. There are two mentions of archangels (or “first” angels) in the New Testament. One is in 1 Thessalonians 4:16. The second, in Jude 1:9, identifies Michael as “the archangel.”

In Daniel 12 the angel Gabriel told Daniel that Michael will “arise” one day, and then would come a time of severe distress from which many of Daniel’s people would be rescued (Daniel 12:1). Perhaps this indicates that Michael will be present when Jesus returns in the clouds at the rapture. According to 1 Thessalonians 4:16, Michael’s vocalizing will be among the events of the rapture (or the “catching up,” described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13–17). Alternately, the statement that Jesus will descend with the voice of the archangel could simply indicate that Jesus’ voice would be like that of an archangel, since the phrase can literally be translated “in the voice of an archangel.”

Paul explains that there will be three audible signifiers of this event: the shout, the voice of an archangel, and the last trumpet. It seems most likely that the statement that Jesus will descend with the voice of an archangel simply describes concurrent events that will take place when Jesus returns for those who have believed in Him.

Paul did not want the Thessalonians to be ignorant of what would take place in the future so that they would have hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13). In particular, he didn’t want them to grieve hopelessly at the loss of saved loved ones who had already died. As surely as Jesus died and rose from the dead, God will bring with Him all those who had died in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 4:14).

At death, the body lies in repose in the grave awaiting the resurrection of the last day, but the soul goes to be at home with the Lord. This is the doctrine of the intermediate state. Believers experience in a provisional sense the rewards that await them in heaven,

Several places in the Bible speak of being crucified with Christ or having died with Christ: for example, Colossians 2:20; 3:3; and 2 Timothy 2:11. An extended discussion on the subject is found in Romans 6:3–14. Since no believer was literally crucified with Christ, the phrase crucified with Christ is symbolic for a spiritual truth.

Galatians 2:20 is a key passage: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

The context of Galatians 2 is how the believer is made right with God. False teachers were telling the Galatian churches that faith in Christ was not enough. To be saved, they said, believers must also be circumcised and become “Jewish.” Only then would they be wholly right with God. In Galatians 2:15–16 Paul counters that idea: “We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles 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.”

Paul says, “Through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God” (Galatians 2:19). While Paul was trying to please God by keeping the Law, he was not really living for God. The more he tried to keep the Law, the more he saw how much he failed. It was only when he gave up trying to achieve righteousness on his own and accepted the righteousness of God by faith in Christ that he truly began living for God. Justification by faith actually makes it possible to live for God.

Being crucified with Christ means that we are no longer under the penalty of the Law. That penalty was paid by Christ on our behalf. When Christ was crucified, it was as if we were crucified with Him. The penalty was fully paid—just as surely as if we had been crucified for our own sins. When Christ rose from the dead, we rose, too. Now the risen Christ empowers us to live for Him in a way that pleases God. We used to seek life through our own works, but now we “live by faith in the Son of God” (Galatians 2:20).

Being crucified with Christ means that we are new creations. “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). The old life is dead and gone. We walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4).

Being crucified with Christ means that we have a new love. The lusts of the flesh and the love of the things of this world have been crucified (Galatians 5:24). Now we love Christ, though we have not seen Him (1 Peter 1:8).

Being crucified with Christ means that we have a new commitment. We are dedicated to the service and glory of the Lord, and that dedication destroys selfishness and surpasses ties to family and friends. We have taken up our cross to follow Him (Matthew 10:38).

Being crucified with Christ means that we have a new way of life. At one time we “followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient” (Ephesians 2:2). But that way of life was nailed to the cross. Now we follow Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, and we seek to please Him in every way (Hebrews 12:2).

The idea of being crucified with Christ emphasizes our union with Him and His death on our behalf. We trust in Christ’s crucifixion as payment for our sin penalty, and we rely on His power to live in a way that pleases God. The emphasis is on what He has done for us, not what we have to do for God. Too often, “I have been crucified with Christ, and it is Christ who lives in me” becomes “I need to crucify my sinful desires and try harder to live for God.” When this becomes our perspective, we have slipped out of grace-living and back into law-living, and we minimize the power of Christ’s death for us. We are relying less upon the power of Christ and more upon our own power—and that will never work out well!

I the earliest days of the Christian church, the church was comprised predominately of Jews. In Acts chapter 8 the gospel spread to the Samaritans (who were ethnically mixed Jews-Gentiles), and many Samaritans received Jesus Christ as Savior. In Acts chapter 10, the apostle Peter was the first to take the gospel specifically to the Gentiles, and many received Christ as Savior. In Acts chapters 13—14, Paul and Barnabas had a very fruitful ministry among the Gentiles. All of these Gentiles turning to faith in Christ caused concern among the Jewish believers, first expressed in Acts 11:1–18, and the issues that caused concern were ultimately decided upon at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15). The issues centered on two questions: Do Gentiles first have to become Jews before they can become Christians? Do Gentiles have to observe the Mosaic Law after they become Christians?

The impetus for the Jerusalem Council is given in Acts 15, verses 1 and 5, “But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, ‘Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.’ . . . It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the Law of Moses.” Some Jewish Christians were teaching that Gentiles had to observe the Mosaic Law and Jewish customs in order to be saved. Since this teaching clearly contradicted the fact that salvation was by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (Acts 15:11), the apostles and church leaders held the first Christian council to settle the issue. In verses 7-11, the apostle Peter spoke of his ministry with the Gentiles, as recorded in Acts chapter 10. Peter focused on the fact that the Holy Spirit was given to uncircumcised Gentiles in precisely the same manner the Holy Spirit was given to the apostles and Jewish believers on the day of Pentecost. This led Peter to the conclusion that there should be no “placing a yoke on the neck of the [Gentile] disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear” (Acts 15:10).

Jesus’ half-brother James, who had become a leader of the church in Jerusalem, agreed with Peter and declared, “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God” (Acts 15:19). The Jerusalem Council then proceeded to give four “rules” that Gentile Christians should live by. These were not rules the Gentiles must follow in order to be saved. Rather, the rules were to build harmony between Jewish and Gentile Christians in the first century. The four rules the Jerusalem Council decided upon were that Gentile Christians should abstain from food polluted by idols, sexual immorality, the meat of strangled animals, and blood. The instructions were not intended to guarantee salvation but to promote peace within the early church.

It is interesting that the issue the Jerusalem Council was dealing with is still very much an issue in the church today. There are groups still teaching that Christians must obey the Old Testament Law. Whether it is the Sabbath day or the food laws or all of the Old Testament Law outside of the sacrificial system—there are groups that declare observance of the Law is either required for salvation or at least a crucially important aspect of the Christian life. Sadly, these groups either completely ignore or grossly misinterpret the decision of the Jerusalem Council. The specific goal of the Jerusalem Council was to decide what aspects, if any, of the Old Testament Law Christians must observe. The Jerusalem Council, for the sake of melding the Jewish and Gentile cultures within the Antioch church, said that the Gentiles should eschew their former pagan practices associated with idolatry. There was no mention of the Sabbath whatsoever. Further, the Jerusalem Council made it abundantly clear that these rules were not requirements for salvation by reaffirming that salvation is by grace for both Jews and Gentiles (Acts 15:11). How many arguments would be solved if the church today would simply follow the principle set by the Jerusalem Council—limit your liberty for the sake of love?

The phrase 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. When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. But if you do warn the wicked person and they do not turn from their wickedness or from their evil ways, they will die for their sin; but you will have saved yourself” (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.

In the Old Testament, heaven usually refers to “the heavens,” that is, the sky or maybe what we would call space—some place “up there.” This came to be associated with where God is. In Revelation, we see worship of God taking place in heaven (chapters 4—5), but the word heaven can also refer to “the sky.” When Jesus ascended, He ascended “into heaven” (Acts 1:11), but this may simply mean that He went up, without specifying that He went to a place called heaven. Likewise, when He returns, he will descend from heaven (1 Thessalonians 4:16). In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul relates the experience of being caught up into the “third heaven,” which is the very abode of God. Likewise, Hebrews speaks of Jesus’ ministry in heaven (Hebrews 1:3; 8:1; 9:24–25). Since 2 Corinthians 5:8 says that if believers are “away from the body,” that is, dead, they are “at home with the Lord,” then it is accurate to say that a Christian who dies “goes to heaven.”

However, heaven is not the eternal home of the Christian. Second Corinthians 5 also points out that while in heaven, away from the body, we look forward to our resurrection body. Too often, eternity with God is pictured as sitting on clouds and playing harps. Human beings were created with physical bodies, and those who have become children of God by faith in Christ are waiting for new physical, material bodies. We also know that the current heavens and earth (as referred to in Genesis 1:1) will be destroyed and replaced with new heavens and a new earth “where righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:12–13).

The new heavens and earth are the eternal home for the believer. The imagery in Revelation 21—22 seems to point to Eden-like conditions. Once again God will dwell among His people. Adam and Eve were given the job of tending the garden and subduing the earth before the fall, and there is every reason to believe that the people of God who inhabit the new earth in resurrection bodies will continue the work of Adam and Eve before the fall, enjoying the work they do and the unhindered fellowship with God. On the new earth, we will continue to work, learn, grow, develop, and accomplish things. Since there were animals in Eden, there may very well be animals on the new earth as well.

An old song says, “This world is not my home; I’m just a-passing through,” and a few lines later, “If heaven’s not my home, then, Lord, what will I do?” It is true that this world is not our home. But it would be technically correct to say that heaven is not our home, either. When we die and go to heaven, it, too, will be a place that we are just “passing through” as we await our new bodies made to live, work, worship, and fellowship on the new earth. In this sense, what we think of as heaven—a place of full enjoyment of the presence of God—will not be in heaven but on earth—the recreated new earth.

Revelation 21:1–5 records this scene: “Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death” or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’ He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’”

It is important to note that “heaven comes to earth” only through God’s miraculous intervention and re-creation. No amount of human effort, as noble is it may be in some cases, will ever be able to create “heaven on earth.” We cannot manufacture utopia. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, Christians have access to God and experience freedom from many of the effects of sin, but we still only have a glimpse of what is yet to come.

The idea of there being “pearly gates” in heaven is based on a reference in the book of Revelation describing the twelve gates of New Jerusalem. The passage describes an immense and lovely city with a wall built of jasper (a kind of precious stone that can be red, yellow, brown, or green) and twelve foundations of different gemstones. Then it describes the gates themselves: “And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass” (Revelation 21:21).

In popular imagination, the “pearly gates” are often considered as the entrance into heaven, but Revelation shows the gates as belonging to the city of New Jerusalem. The city and heaven are not exactly synonymous; the city comes “down out of heaven” (Revelation 21:2) and is part of the new earth (Revelation 21:1). Also, contrary to the popular idea that the pearly gates bar heaven’s entrance, the Bible says the gates of pearl will always be open: they “will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there” (Revelation 21:22–25). The gates, made of a single pearl, will be entered by the redeemed in the eternal state: “Nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:26–27).

The promise of entry to the New Jerusalem is both beautiful and daunting. The idea of such a city is wonderful to think about—a place where nothing false or unclean or harmful will ever be able to enter. And the pearly gates will be a dazzling sight. However, we have all done bad things and told lies. Does this mean that we will not be able to enter the New Jerusalem? The answer is “it depends.” We are all sinners, but those whose sin is forgiven by the blood of Christ are named in the Lamb’s book of life. “Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered” (Psalm 32:1). Those who are in Christ are the children of God (John 1:12) and will receive an eternal inheritance (1 Peter 1:4).

An exposition of Romans 10:4, which says:

"Christ is the end of

the law

so that there may be

righteousness

for everyone who believes,"

will help in understanding what it means that Christians are not under the law. The apostle Paul clarifies the effects of original sin in Romans 2:12, stating, "All who sin apart from the law will perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law." All men stand condemned before God, whether they are Jews or not, or to put it another way, whether they have the Law of God or not. Paul also states, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

If we are without Christ, we are justly condemned in God’s sight by the Law that was given to His servant Moses. However, we might argue that those who are not Jewish and therefore do not benefit from the knowledge of the Mosaic Law (including the moral and ceremonial laws), should not be condemned in the same way. This is dealt with by the Apostle in Romans 2:14-15, where he states that the Gentiles have the essence of God’s legal requirements already ingrained and so are just as much without excuse.

The Law is the issue that has to be dealt with in order to bring us into a right relationship with God. "Know that a man is not justified by observing 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 observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified" (Galatians 2:16). This passage reveals that the Law cannot justify or make righteous any man in God’s sight, which is why God sent His Son to completely fulfill the requirements of the Law for all those who would ever believe in Him.

Christ Jesus redeemed us from the curse that has been brought through the law by becoming a curse for us (Galatians 3:13). He substituted Himself in our place and upon the cross took the punishment that is justly ours so that we are no longer under the curse of the Law. In doing so, He fulfilled and upheld the requirements of the Law. This does not mean that Christians are to be lawless, as some advocate today—a teaching called antinomianism. Rather, it means that we are free from the Mosaic Law and instead under the law of Christ, which is to love God with all of our being and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

Christ became the end of the Law by virtue of what He did on earth through His sinless life and His sacrifice on the cross. So, the Law no longer has any bearing over us because its demands have been fully met in the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith in Christ who satisfied the righteous demands of the Law restores us into a pleasing relationship with God and keeps us there. No longer under the penalty of the Law, we now live under the law of grace in the love of God.

In Galatians 3:13, the apostle Paul states that “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.” When Paul refers to “the law,” he means the Mosaic Law found in the first five books of the Bible, which instructed the Israelites how to properly worship and honor God through various commands and requirements.

The Greek word for “redeem” in the Bible is exagorazo. It was a financial term that referred to the process of purchasing a slave’s freedom. When a slave was “redeemed,” he or she was no longer bound to the rules and expectations of a slave’s life. So, to be redeemed from the curse of the law means to be set free from its rules and regulations. In other words, those who are redeemed from the curse of the law are no longer required to observe the law’s commands as the Israelites were.

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law. That is, His sacrificial work on the cross purchased our freedom from the law. Jesus fulfilled the original intention and purpose of the Mosaic Law on our behalf (Matthew 5:17; Romans 8:34). What we could not do in perfectly obeying God’s will laid out in the law, Christ did for us. In that way, He fulfilled the law and accomplished what God intended.

This doesn’t mean we completely ignore everything in the Mosaic Law. There are many commands in the law that all people from all time should always obey. For example, Exodus 20:13 says, “You shall not murder.” Even though Christ fulfilled the law, God’s people should still observe the command not to take another human’s life. Though we are redeemed from the curse of the law and set free from its rules and regulations, it’s still important to observe the moral and ethical commands found within the law. Of the Ten Commandments, nine are repeated in the New Testament as commands for us today.

To be redeemed from the curse of the law also means that we no longer have to face the judgment of God. The law was perfect, and, as sinful beings, the Israelites could not perfectly observe the law. They were considered “cursed” whenever they disobeyed the law or failed to live up to its expectations. God’s judgment rested on all of those who did not live according to His ways. And since, according to Romans 2:14–15, God has placed the moral requirements of the law on all human hearts (not just the Israelites’), we are all under a curse and deserving of God’s judgment. “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a).

So, when Paul says in Galatians 3:13 that we are redeemed from the curse of the law, he means that we no longer will receive the judgment of God because of the way we fall short of His holy standards. In the same verse, Paul quotes from Deuteronomy 21:23 in referring to Jesus’ death on the cross. Through Jesus’ atoning work on the cross, He became that curse for us in order to receive the judgment of God on Himself. He died in our place so that we wouldn’t have to experience the wrath of God (see 1 Peter 2:24); instead, we could receive the gift of His Holy Spirit (see Galatians 3:14).

To be redeemed from the curse of the law means to be freed from followings its rules and regulations and from experiencing the judgment of God. Jesus Christ is the Redeemer, becoming a curse for us and purchasing us from the slavery of sin through His death on the cross.

The story of Ananias and Sapphira is found in Acts 5, and it is a sad story, indeed. It actually begins at the end of chapter 4 with the description of the early church in Jerusalem, a group of believers so filled with the Holy Spirit that they were of one heart and one mind. Great power and grace were on the apostles, who preached and testified of the risen Savior. So knit together were the hearts of the people that they held all their possessions loosely and willingly shared them with one another, not because they were coerced but because they loved one another. Those who sold land and houses gave of their profits to the apostles, who distributed the gifts to those in need.

Two members of this group were Ananias and his wife, Sapphira; they also had sold a field. Part of the profit from their sale was kept back by the couple, and Ananias only laid a part of the money at the apostles’ feet. However, Ananias made a pretense of having given all the proceeds. This hypocritical show may have fooled some, but not Peter, who was filled with the power of the Spirit. Peter knew instantly that Ananias was lying—not just to him but to God—and exposed his hypocrisy then and there. Ananias fell down and died (Acts 5:4). When Sapphira showed up, she, too, lied to Peter and to God, saying that they had donated the entire proceeds of the sale of the land to the church. When her lie had been exposed, she also fell down and died at Peter’s feet.

Some speculate that these two deaths were from natural causes. Perhaps Ananias died from shock or guilt, but Peter pronounced Sapphira’s death before she died, and the coincidental timing and place of their deaths indicate that this was indeed God’s judgment. The question is why. Why would God kill two people for lying?

God’s reasons for bringing about the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira involve His abhorrence of sin, the hypocrisy of the couple, and the lesson for the rest of the church, both then and now. It can be easy today to gloss over the holiness of God, to forget that He is righteous and pure and that He hates sin wholeheartedly. This particular sin of hypocrisy in the church was dealt with swiftly and decisively.

Were Ananias and Sapphira saved? We believe they probably were. Their story is told in the context of the actions of “all the believers” (Acts 4:32). They knew of the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3), and Ananias’s lie could have been an earlier promise that he would give the whole amount of the sale to the Lord. But the best evidence that they were children of God may be that they received discipline: “If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all” (Hebrews 12:8; see also 1 Corinthians 5:12). Ananias and his wife had conspired to garner the accolades of the church; but their conspiracy led to the sin unto death.

The case of Ananias and Sapphira illustrates the fact that even believers can be led into bold, flagrant sin. It was Satan that had filled their hearts to lie in this way (Acts 5:3) and “to test the Spirit of the Lord” (verse 9). Covetousness, hypocrisy, and a desire for the praise of men all played a part in their demise.

The sudden, dramatic deaths of Ananias and Sapphira served to purify and warn the church. “Great fear seized the whole church” (Acts 5:11). Right away, in the church’s infancy, God made it plain that hypocrisy and dissimulation were not going to be tolerated, and His judgment of Ananias and Sapphira helped guard the church against future pretense. God laid the bodies of Ananias and Sapphira in the path of every hypocrite who would seek to enter the church.

Furthermore, the incident involving Ananias and Sapphira helped to establish the apostles’ authority in the church. The sinners had fallen dead at Peter’s feet. It was Peter who had known of the secret sin and had the authority to pronounce judgment in the church (see Matthew 16:19). If the hypocrisy of Ananias and Sapphira had succeeded in fooling Peter, it would have severely damaged the apostles’ authority.

The sad story of Ananias and Sapphira is not some obscure incident from the Old Testament regarding a violation of Mosaic Law. This occurred in the first-century church to believers in Jesus Christ. The story of Ananias and Sapphira is a reminder to us today that God sees the heart (1 Samuel 16:7), that He hates sin, and that He is concerned for the purity of His church (1 Corinthians 11; 1 John 5). As Jesus told the compromising church in Thyatira, “All the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds” (Revelation 2:23).

The phrase unsearchable riches of Christ comes from Ephesians 3:8–9: “To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things” (ESV). The Greek for “unsearchable riches” is translated “boundless riches” in the NIV.

The Greek word translated “unsearchable” describes something that cannot be fully comprehended or explored. In other words, there is no limit to the riches of Christ; they are past finding out. Try as we might, we can never plumb the depths of Christ’s worth. Paul delineates some of these riches in Ephesians 1:7–14: redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, the knowledge of the mystery of His will, the message of truth, the sealing of the Holy Spirit, and the guarantee of our inheritance. These are spiritual riches with eternal benefits, and we cannot fully comprehend them.

Jesus taught two short parables that emphasize the value of eternal life and the kingdom of God: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it” (Matthew 13:44–46). Like a hidden treasure or a pearl of great price, admission to the kingdom is of incalculable worth—and it is Jesus Christ who grants the admission. The unsearchable riches of Christ are on display in every believer’s heart.

The unsearchable riches of Christ cannot be fully traced out. “In Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9), so the riches of Christ include all that God is. The unsearchable riches of Christ are the Glory of God, the Truth of God, the Wisdom of God, the Life of God, and the Love of God. In Christ, God “has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing” (Ephesians 1:3). In Christ are hidden “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3). In Christ, God “has given us everything we need for a godly life” (2 Peter 1:3).

In Ephesians 3:8 Paul refers to himself as “less than the least of all the Lord’s people.” This humble statement is then contrasted with “the boundless riches of Christ.” Paul describes himself as the lowest of believers while lifting Jesus up as the greatest of all. Every believer, in like humility, acknowledges the all-surpassing goodness and grace of God: “The LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless” (Psalm 84:11).

Christ’s riches that He makes available to us are not material but spiritual. The unsearchable riches of Christ provide salvation to everyone who believes (John 3:16; Romans 1:16). We may be the worst of sinners, yet Jesus can forgive us and transform our lives (Romans 12:1–2). It is the gift that truly keeps on giving, as we are changed, by God’s Spirit, into “loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled” people (Galatians 5:22–23, CEV).

King Solomon was a man of great riches and wisdom, and his fame spread throughout the known world. Dignitaries from other countries came to hear his wisdom and see his lavish display of wealth (1 Kings 10:24). Scripture says that Solomon had no equal in the earth at that time: “King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth” (verse 23). Yet, for all that, Solomon’s riches were not unsearchable. They could be quantified; the gold bars could be counted, and he had no inexhaustible supply of silver. Besides that, Solomon’s riches were only the temporal treasures of this world. Jesus is “greater than Solomon” (Luke 11:31). The treasures of Christ are inexhaustible, they are unsearchable, and they are forever.

Since Christians receive the promised Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation (John 14:17), the spirit of wisdom and revelation that Paul prays for cannot refer to the initial gift of the Holy Spirit. Paul’s reference could easily be to an attitude or frame of mind (although the NIV and ESV capitalize Spirit, other translations such as the NASB and BSB translate it as “a spirit,” and the NLT simply has “spiritual wisdom and insight”). If not the Holy Spirit, then what does Paul ask for in his request for “the spirit of wisdom and revelation”? The key is in the phrase that follows, “in the knowledge of him” (ESV), or “so that you may know him better” (NIV).

Paul had commended the Ephesians for their faith in the Lord Jesus and their love toward all the saints (Ephesians 1:15), but now he is asking God to give them a deeper and greater understanding of the mysteries of His character and will, to know Him more thoroughly and intimately. Now that they have the Holy Spirit in their hearts, Paul desires Him to grant them more understanding and greater insight. The “wisdom” is a better understanding of the doctrines of God, and the “revelation” is a clearer picture of the divine character and will. In the NLT, the prayer is that believers would have “spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.” The AMP translation has Paul asking that God “may grant you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation [that gives you a deep and personal and intimate insight] into the true knowledge of Him.”

God is infinite, and He can never be fully known by finite creatures. We all need wisdom from above. No matter how far we may advance in our understanding of God, there is an unfathomed depth of knowledge that remains to be explored. Scripture is full of admonitions to grow in our knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 3:18; 1 Peter 2:2; Ephesians 4:15).

Paul outlines some of the mysteries he wants the Ephesians to understand through this spirit of wisdom and revelation. He desires them to grasp “the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance” (Ephesians 1:18). This is the hope of eternal life, which Paul refers to as the “upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14, ESV). We inherit the riches of eternal life through Him who saved us and called us to holiness in Christ before time began (2 Timothy 1:9). Paul also prays the Spirit will reveal God’s “incomparably great power for us who believe” (Ephesians 1:19)—power so great it raised Jesus from the dead. It’s a power that we can only comprehend as we possess the spirit of wisdom and revelation.

Mystery or Prophecy?We have often insisted that while the prophets “testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow,” they knew nothing of the present period of grace which lies between our Lord’s suffering and His kingdom glory.
“The dispensation of the grace of God,” we read in Ephesians 3, was “a mystery” only made known “by revelation” to Paul, some years after the rejected Christ had returned to heaven. In verse 5 he says that “in other ages” it was “not made known.” In verse 8 he calls it “the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God.” In Romans 16:25 he says it was “kept secret since the world began.” In Colossians 1:26 he insists again that it was “hid from ages and from generations.”
But there are still thousands of sincere believers who do not see this. They think that the prophets predicted the reign of grace as well as the reign of Christ. Thus they lose some of the joy of that great surprise of grace which God planned for sinners “before the world began” (II Tim. 1:9), but “kept secret since the world began” (Rom. 16:25).
One of the Scriptures which troubles them most is I Peter 1:10: “Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you.” They say that this proves conclusively that the dispensation of Grace was prophesied beforehand and was no mystery at all.
But here again we must distinguish between grace in a dispensation and the dispensation of Grace. Peter is not speaking of the reign of grace here, but of the grace that will prevail during the reign of Christ. This is clear from the 13th verse, where he exhorts his Jewish Christian brethren, “Hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Remember that like Christ on earth, Peter was a minister of “the Circumcision” (Rom. 15:18; Gal. 2:7). His message to the believing Jews had the kingdom reign of Christ in view.
The prophets had clearly predicted that God would judge the world for rejecting His Son and would enthrone Christ in spite of them. He did not do this immediately, however. In matchless mercy, He deferred the judgment and offered salvation to all who would receive it as a free gift through the merits of Christ. And so, while Christ is not yet reigning, grace reigns. “That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign” (Rom. 5:21).
An over-abounding grace is the outstanding characteristic of God’s dealings with man in “this present evil age.”
When Saul of Tarsus became the leader of an organized rebellion against Christ, God in love reached down to save him, choosing him as the very agent through whom He would proclaim grace to a lost world.
Listen to his testimony and his message:
“Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious, but…the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant” (I Tim. 1:13,14).
“Not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many” (Rom. 5:15).
“But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Rom. 5:20).
“In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace; wherein He hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence” (Eph. 1:7,8).
“Being justified freely by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24).
“And God is able to make all grace abound unto you, that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” (II Cor. 9:8).
“For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God” (II Cor. 4:15).
Do you wonder why we say that an over-abounding grace is the outstanding characteristic of God’s dealings with man in “this present evil age”? Surely grace is reigning. Otherwise the thunders of God’s judgment would roll and He would bring in the reign of Christ.
Though, in his first epistle, Peter told the believing Jews to “hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ,” he later learned something of that greater grace which God was to manifest in deferring the judgment of the nations and the reign of Christ, and, as we shall see, he learned it from Paul.
As Israel refused to repent and Christ did not return, some began to cry “Where is the promise of His coming?” (II Pet. 3:4).
Peter now answers this beautifully. He says “Beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” And note, this is not a lame explanation offered today at the close of the age of Grace. This statement was made at the dawn of the age.
Peter goes on, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count [it], slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (II Pet. 3:8,9 cf. I Tim. 1:16 “all longsuffering”). So the delay must not be counted slackness on God’s part, but longsuffering, and since “one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day,” this delay might continue for any amount of time, even though the signs of the last days had already begun to appear (Acts 2:16,17).
How did Peter know this? He certainly didn’t find it in prophecy.
Before we quote the significant closing words of his epistle let us remember Paul’s word in Ephesians 3:1-3. “For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: how that by revelation He made known unto me the Mystery….”
How beautifully this harmonizes with the closing words of Peter’s second epistle! He tells them not to count the delay slackness, but says “…account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you” (II Pet. 3:15). No wonder he says in the closing verse “But grow in grace!”
Peter has learned why “the revelation of Jesus Christ” is being delayed. May we learn it too. God is waiting because of “His great love,” because He is loathe to judge.
How long He will continue to wait we cannot tell. We can only say to the unsaved, “We then, as workers together with Him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain….Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (II Cor. 6:1,2). And to the saved, “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:15,16).

THE MEANING OF GRACE AND HOW

THIS AFFECTS US

Ask the average believer what the Bible

word “grace” means, and he will doubtless reply

“unmerited favor.”

Actually, however, grace is much more than this.

Subjectively, it is that loving attitude, or disposition, on

God’s part,

from which all His kindness

toward us flows.

Objectively, it is all the kindness that flows from

His love toward us.

Thus we read in Ephesians 2:2-6 that we were “the children of disobedience” and therefore “by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us,
“Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

“And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

Note: This passage begins with those who were “children of disobedience” and “children of wrath” and, saving them “by grace,” gives them a position in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus!

God’s grace to us as sinners was great indeed, for:
“In [Christ] we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His [God’s] grace” (Eph. 1:7).

But now, having given us a position in His beloved Son, God’s grace goes out to us in still greater measure.

Ephesians 1:6 declares that God has “made us accepted [Lit., “engraced us”] in the Beloved.” “The Beloved”! What a name for the Son of God’s love!
Beholding us in Christ, God loves us and delights in us more than any father ever delighted in his son, or any grandfather in that precious grandchild.
Thus, while in Ephesians 1:7 we read that we have “redemption…the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace,” in Ephesians 2:7 we see these riches of grace increased to us “exceedingly,” now that we occupy a position “in the Beloved”:

“That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of

His grace….”
How?

“…in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus”!

What a prospect!

Through the ages of eternity God will lavish His loving kindness upon us to demonstrate to all the universe

“the exceeding riches of His grace”!

THE NATURE OF GRACE

To a young Christian who kept bemoaning his failures and lack of spiritual growth, and wondering how God could love him, a more mature believer responded substantially as follows:

“When I leave here and return to my home I will pick up my little baby girl and put her on my knee. Tired as I am, I will dandle her on my knee and, somehow, looking into that darling face and those pretty blue eyes, I will soon feel rested and refreshed.

“This is strange, in a way, for she does not love me. She doesn’t even know what love is.

“She doesn’t appreciate my problems and has no sympathy for me. My heart can be burdened with grief or filled with anxiety, and my mind vexed with difficult problems, but she doesn’t even know or care. She just keeps gurgling and giggling at the attention I lavish upon her.

“She doesn’t contribute one cent toward the needs of our family; indeed, she costs me a great deal of money and will for years to come. Yet I love that child more than I can say. There is no sacrifice I would not make for her; no good thing I would not gladly give her.”

Such is the grace of God towards us, His children. It does not depend upon our faithfulness to Him or our appreciation of His love to us. He loves us with an unspeakable love and keeps lavishing upon us “the riches of His grace” simply because we are His children in Christ, the Beloved.
And strangely, is it not precisely this fact that proves to be our greatest incentive to give ourselves to Him in loving service and sacrifice!

John 14:26 ESV / 92 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 16:13 ESV / 85 helpful votes When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

Romans 8:26 ESV / 57 helpful votes Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

John 14:17 ESV / 50 helpful votes Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

John 15:26 ESV / 48 helpful votes “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.

1 Corinthians 2:11 ESV / 44 helpful votes For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

1 Corinthians 2:10 ESV / 43 helpful votes These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.
Romans 8:14 ESV / 41 helpful votes For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

Ephesians 4:30 ESV / 35 helpful votes And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
2 Peter 1:20-21 ESV / 28 helpful votes Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:19 ESV / 27 helpful votes Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,
Romans 8:26-27 ESV / 26 helpful votes Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
1 Timothy 4:1 ESV / 25 helpful votes Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,
Ephesians 1:13-14 ESV / 23 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.
John 16:13-14 ESV / 22 helpful votes When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
John 4:24 ESV / 22 helpful votes God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Galatians 5:22-23 ESV / 21 helpful votes But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
1 Corinthians 2:14 ESV / 21 helpful votes The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
John 14:6 ESV / 21 helpful votes Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Matthew 28:19 ESV / 20 helpful votes Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Acts 2:38 ESV / 19 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.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV / 18 helpful votes All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
Romans 15:30 ESV / 18 helpful votes I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf,
John 17:17 ESV / 18 helpful votes Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
Titus 3:5 ESV / 17 helpful votes He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
2 Corinthians 13:14 ESV / 16 helpful votes The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Genesis 1:2 ESV / 16 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.
1 John 4:1 ESV / 15 helpful votes Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
1 Peter 1:2 ESV / 15 helpful votes According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.
1 Thessalonians 5:19 ESV / 15 helpful votes Do not quench the Spirit.
Romans 8:27 ESV / 14 helpful votes And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
Romans 8:11 ESV / 14 helpful votes 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.
Acts 2:4 ESV / 14 helpful votes And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 1:8 ESV / 14 helpful votes But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
John 14:16-17 ESV / 14 helpful votes And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
2 Peter 1:21 ESV / 13 helpful votes For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Romans 8:9 ESV / 13 helpful votes You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
Acts 1:16 ESV / 13 helpful votes “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.
Revelation 22:17 ESV / 12 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.
1 John 5:7 ESV / 12 helpful votes For there are three that testify:
2 Timothy 3:16 ESV / 12 helpful votes All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
Ephesians 6:17 ESV / 12 helpful votes And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,
1 Corinthians 2:10-11 ESV / 12 helpful votes These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
Romans 8:16 ESV / 12 helpful votes The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
Mark 12:36 ESV / 12 helpful votes David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared, “‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.”’
1 John 4:6 ESV / 11 helpful votes We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
1 Corinthians 12:13 ESV / 11 helpful votes For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
Acts 10:1-48 ESV / 11 helpful votes At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God. About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.” And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa and bring one Simon who is called Peter. ...
1 John 1:8 ESV / 10 helpful votes If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
2 Peter 2:1 ESV / 10 helpful votes But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.
Hebrews 1:1 ESV / 10 helpful votes Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,
1 Corinthians 2:9-13 ESV / 10 helpful votes But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
Acts 20:28 ESV / 10 helpful votes Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.

Acts 7:51

“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in

heart and ears,

you always resist the

Holy Spirit

As your fathers did, so do you

Acts 5:3-4 ESV / 10 helpful votes But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.”

John 16:8 ESV / 10 helpful votes And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:

John 14:16 ESV / 10 helpful votes And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,

John 8:31-32 ESV / 10 helpful votes So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 1:14 ESV / 10 helpful votes And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:1 ESV / 10 helpful votes In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Mark 1:8 ESV / 10 helpful votes I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Genesis 1:26 ESV / 10 helpful votes Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Genesis 1:1 ESV / 10 helpful votes In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

1 John 3:18 ESV / 9 helpful votes Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
James 1:21 ESV / 9 helpful votes Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

Hebrews 4:12 ESV / 9 helpful votes For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Ephesians 1:14 ESV / 9 helpful votes Who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

2 Corinthians 3:6 ESV / 9 helpful votes Who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Romans 1:20 ESV / 9 helpful votes For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Romans 1:16 ESV / 9 helpful votes For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Acts 8:29 ESV / 9 helpful votes And the Spirit said to Philip,

“Go over and join this chariot.”

John 16:12-13 ESV / 9 helpful votes “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
Genesis 1:1-2 ESV / 9 helpful votes In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 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.
Revelation 1:1 ESV / 8 helpful votes The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,
1 John 5:6 ESV / 8 helpful votes This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.
1 John 2:27 ESV / 8 helpful votes But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.
2 Peter 1:3 ESV / 8 helpful votes His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,
Ephesians 2:22 ESV / 8 helpful votes In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
Galatians 5:18 ESV / 8 helpful votes But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
Galatians 1:12 ESV / 8 helpful votes For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 6:11 ESV / 8 helpful votes And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
1 Corinthians 3:16 ESV / 8 helpful votes Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?
Romans 15:13 ESV / 8 helpful votes May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Romans 10:17 ESV / 8 helpful votes So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Acts 11:12 ESV / 8 helpful votes And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man's house.
Acts 5:32 ESV / 8 helpful votes And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
John 16:13-15 ESV / 8 helpful votes When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
John 14:1-31 ESV / 8 helpful votes “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” ...
Matthew 4:4 ESV / 8 helpful votes But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Isaiah 59:21 ESV / 8 helpful votes “And as for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord: “My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children's offspring,” says the Lord, “from this time forth and forevermore.”
Isaiah 11:2 ESV / 8 helpful votes And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
Psalm 119:160 ESV / 8 helpful votes The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.
Psalm 25:5 ESV / 8 helpful votes Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.
James 1:18 ESV / 7 helpful votes Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
2 Timothy 2:15 ESV / 7 helpful votes Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
2 Timothy 1:7 ESV / 7 helpful votes For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Acts 5:3 ESV / 7 helpful votes But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?
Acts 4:31 ESV / 7 helpful votes And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.
Matthew 3:16 ESV / 7 helpful votes And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;
Psalm 119:105 ESV / 7 helpful votes Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Matthew 6:24 ESV / 237 helpful votes “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Luke 16:13 No servant can serve two masters,

for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be

devoted to the one and despise the other.

You cannot serve God and money.”

1 Corinthians 10:21 You cannot drink the cup of the

Lord and the cup of demons.

You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the

table of demons.

Psalm 45:7

You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.

Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the

oil of gladness

beyond your companions;

Deuteronomy 6:5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

2 Corinthians 6:14

Do not be unequally yoked

with unbelievers.

For what partnership has righteousness

with lawlessness?

Or what fellowship has

light with darkness?

Joshua 24:15 ESV / 56 helpful votes And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Romans 12:2 ESV / 51 helpful votes Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
John 18:6 ESV / 48 helpful votes When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

John 10:30

I and the Father are one.”

Deuteronomy 4:24

For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

John 1:1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God.

Romans 12:11

Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.

Galatians 5:13

Mark 10:45

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve,

and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

James 4:4

You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship

with the world is enmity with God?

Therefore whoever wishes to be a

friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

Hebrews 6:10

For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.

Romans 6:16

Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience,

which leads to righteousness?

John 12:26

If anyone serves me, he must follow me;

and where I am, there will my servant be also.

If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

Matthew 6:33 ESV / 30 helpful votes But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Matthew 6:1-34

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other

people in order to be seen by them, for then you will

have no reward from your

Father who is in heaven.

“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. ...

Hebrews 9:14

How much more

will the blood of Christ, who through the

eternal Spirit

offered himself without blemish to God,

purify our conscience from dead works to

serve the living God.

Luke 16:9 ESV / 28 helpful votes And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.

Matthew 6:25 ESV / 28 helpful votes “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

1 Peter 2:16 ESV / 26 helpful votes Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.
Luke 14:26 ESV / 26 helpful votes “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.

Joshua 22:5 ESV / 26 helpful votes Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

Revelation 1:1 ESV / 25 helpful votes The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,
Mark 9:35 ESV / 25 helpful votes And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”

Matthew 5:1-48 ESV / 25 helpful votes Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. ...
1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV / 24 helpful votes Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Romans 12:1 ESV / 24 helpful votes I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

1 John 2:15-17 ESV / 23 helpful votes Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

Romans 8:7 ESV / 23 helpful votes For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot.

Luke 1:37 ESV / 23 helpful votes For nothing will be impossible with God.”

Matthew 7:1-29 ESV / 23 helpful votes “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. ...
Galatians 6:14 ESV / 22 helpful votes But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Romans 6:13 ESV / 22 helpful votes Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.

Titus 1:9 ESV / 21 helpful votes He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

1 Peter 4:10 ESV / 20 helpful votes As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:
John 3:16 ESV / 20 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.
Matthew 5:16 ESV / 20 helpful votes In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

1 Timothy 3:2 ESV / 19 helpful votes Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,

Luke 16:11 ESV / 18 helpful votes If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?

Exodus 3:14 ESV / 18 helpful votes God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”
Galatians 1:10 ESV / 17 helpful votes For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

John 3:1-36 ESV / 17 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. ...

Matthew 25:21 ESV / 17 helpful votes His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

Matthew 20:28 ESV / 17 helpful votes Even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Matthew 6:21 ESV / 17 helpful votes For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Deuteronomy 13:4 ESV / 17 helpful votes You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV / 16 helpful votes All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
Colossians 3:5 ESV / 16 helpful votes Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

Colossians 1:1-29 ESV / 16 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, ...

Romans 8:5 ESV / 16 helpful votes For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.

Isaiah 9:6 ESV / 16 helpful votes For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Psalm 16:5 ESV / 16 helpful votes The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.

Colossians 4:1 ESV / 15 helpful votes Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

Ephesians 6:9 ESV / 15 helpful votes Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.

Galatians 6:7 ESV / 15 helpful votes Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.
Colossians 3:23 ESV / 14 helpful votes Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,
1 Corinthians 3:9 ESV / 14 helpful votes For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.

John 3:16-17 ESV / 14 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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Matthew 20:26-27 ESV / 14 helpful votes It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave,

Matthew 6:19-21 ESV / 14 helpful votes “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, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Proverbs 19:17 ESV / 14 helpful votes Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.
Psalm 37:23 ESV / 14 helpful votes The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way;
Psalm 34:22 ESV / 14 helpful votes The Lord redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
Deuteronomy 10:12-13 ESV / 14 helpful votes “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lordyour God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good?

Colossians 4:1-18 ESV / 13 helpful votes Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven. Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. ...

Colossians 3:23-24 ESV / 13 helpful votes Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

Galatians 2:20 ESV / 13 helpful votes I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

John 13:14 ESV / 13 helpful votes If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.

John 10:30-33 ESV / 13 helpful votes I and the Father are one.” The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.”

1 Peter 2:2 ESV / 12 helpful votes Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation--

Colossians 2:1-23

I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you

and for those at Laodicea and for

all who have not seen me face to face, that

their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love,

to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding

and the knowledge of God's mystery,

which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of

wisdom and knowledge.

I say this in order that no one may

delude you with plausible arguments.

For though I am absent in body,

yet I am with you in spirit,

rejoicing to see your

good order and the firmness of your

faith in Christ. ...

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable,

whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,

whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence,

if there is anything

worthy of praise, think about these things.

Romans 1:16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel,

for it is the power of God

for salvation to everyone who believes,

to the Jew first and also to the Greek

Luke 22:27

For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves?

Is it not the one who reclines at table?

But I am among you as the one who serves.

Matthew 6:2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others.

Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go;

even when he is old he will not depart from it.

James 1:1-27

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,

To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion:

Greetings. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet

trials of various kinds,

for you know that the testing of your

faith produces steadfastness.

And let steadfastness have its full effect,

that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who

gives generously to all

without reproach, and it will be given him. ...

Colossians 3:22

Bondservants, obey in everything those

who are your earthly masters,

not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with

sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.

Proverbs 31:1-31

The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him: What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of my womb? What are you doing, son of my vows? Do not give your strength to women, your ways to those who destroy kings. It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink, lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and pervert the rights of all the afflicted. ...

Revelation 19:16

On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written,

King of kings and Lord of lords.

John 6:40-41 For this is the will of my Father,

that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him

should have eternal life,

and I will raise him up on the last day.”

So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said,

“I am the bread that came down from heaven.”

1 Peter 2:18

Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect,

not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.

1 Timothy 6:1

Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants regard

their own masters as worthy of all honor,

so that the name of God

and the teaching may not be reviled.

2 Corinthians 4:4

In their case the god of this world

has blinded the minds of the unbelievers,

to keep them from seeing the light

of the gospel of the glory of Christ,

who is the image of God.

John 5:17-18

But Jesus answered them,

"My Father is working until now, and I am working.”

This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him,

because not only was he breaking the Sabbath,

but he was even calling God his own Father,

making himself equal with God.

Psalm 110:1

A Psalm of David. The Lord says to my Lord:

"Sit at my right hand,

until I make

your enemies your footstool.”

Titus 2:9

Bondservants are to be submissive to their own masters

1 Corinthians 8:5 For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”--

Romans 13:1-7 ESV / 8 helpful votes Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. ...

Proverbs 16:16 ESV / 8 helpful votes How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

Psalm 123:2 ESV / 8 helpful votes Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he has mercy upon us.

1 Timothy 6:2 ESV / 7 helpful votes Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved. Teach and urge these things.

Ephesians 6:5 ESV / 7 helpful votes Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ,

Psalm 82:1 ESV / 7 helpful votes A Psalm of Asaph. God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods he holds judgment:

Who or what is the

“god of this age”

in 2 Corinthians 4:4?

In their case the god of this world (aion, age)

has

blinded the minds of the

unbelievers,

to keep them from seeing the

light of the

gospel of the glory of Christ,

who is

the image of God.

2 Corinthians 4:4 ESV

Background – This evil age

Some versions (including the ESV above somewhat confusingly translate

“age” as “world”,

but the meaning is this time,

this period, rather than this planet or realm.

The

“princes of this age”

who

crucified Christ

(1 Co 2:6, 8),

“the present evil age” (Gal 1:4),

principalities and powers

named in this age

(Eph 1:21),

are other examples of “this age” as a corrupt force. The usage is

similar to some of the

uses of

"this world”

(cosmos) as an evil realm:

Now is the judgment of this world (kosmos):

now shall the

prince of this world (kosmos) be cast out…

(John 12:31)

The two ideas combine in the following verse :

in which you once walked, following

the course (aion, age) of this world (kosmos), following

the prince of the power of the air,

the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience

(Ephesians 2:2)

Background – What is a god?

To answer what the “god of this age” is, we first need to ask what is a god? Fundamentally in the Bible a god is something that is worshipped as a god. In the Old Testament this generally means idols, particularly the gods of the Gentile nations, and the majority of the 220-odd occurrences of “gods” in the Bible refer to those. And incidentally “gods” is never used to refer to angels or judges, a mistaken idea based on the King James Version having followed the Septuagint rather than the Hebrew in some passages, but which is corrected in most cases in modern versions. This use of “gods” continues into the New Testament:

“For although there may be so-called

gods in heaven or on earth

— as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”--

(1 Corinthians 8:5)

“Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. (Galatians 4:8)But perhaps the most relevant to “the god of this age” is “their god is their belly” (Philippians 3:19) which goes beyond the idea of idols to personify, or deify, physical lusts, such as greed, as a god.

This belly god is part of Paul’s overall view of “this evil age”, and
therefore must form part of Paul’s

concept of “

The God of this Age”

Background – Paul’s God of not-this-age

In explaining the “god of this age” the obvious opposite counterpart is “the God of heaven”, a title given to God 20 times in the Old Testament and twice in Revelation (Rev 11:13, 16:11). This title occurs far more often than similar titles such as “the God of glory” (once in Psalm 29:3 and Stephen in Acts 7:2 only).
However “the God of heaven” is not a Pauline term. Instead Paul if he qualifies God, does so in terms of relationship – such as “the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory”, (Eph 1:17), but more often with God’s qualities: “the God of endurance and encouragement” (Romans 15:3), “the God of hope” (Rom 15:13), “the God of peace” (Rom 15:33, 16:20, Philippians 4:9, 1 Thess 5:23, cf. Heb 13:20), “the God of love and peace” (2 Co 13:11).

So Paul’s “god of this age” should be set in opposition to the way Paul himself describes God by the best qualities to be sought in “this evil age” – endurance, encouragement, hope, love, and above all peace.

So what did Paul mean by the “god of this age”?

The above three sections were setting out the stall, as it were, to look at “god” and “this age” in the context of Paul’s view of gods and the age, before jumping straight into an answer.

The first answer that can probably be ruled out is the normal New Testament Satan. It might be surprising to rule this out as it is probably the one that many people expect. Yet Paul follows strictly the Old Testament teaching that there is no god but One: “there is no elohim besides Me” (Deuteronomy 32:39, Hebrew text), “apart from Me there is no elohim” (Isaiah 44:6, Hebrew text).

Simply because of the Old Testament

teaching of One God, only,

Paul could not apply the term “god” to Satan in the same

casual way as he applies it to “belly”.

Although (please see the other answers on this website concerning Satan)

Paul does not conceive of Satan as existing as a literal being, nevertheless the literary origin of Satan in late Old Testament books, Zechariah and Job, is as a heavenly accuser, a kind of angel.

The temptation accounts of Jesus also introduce Satan to

the New Testament

as an angel-like device, acting out elements of the

Zechariah 3 and Job 1 precedents.

So to use “god” in any way relating to Satan –

even when

Paul writes around Satan as a literary device,

personification or parable – would

be cutting too close

to the Old Testament teaching

of no elohim but One.

Paul cannot even hint

that

Zechariah and Job’s heavenly courtier

could

rise to be a “god”

The above paragraph may require reading twice and a pause to think.
Those who are accustomed to the (justified from Old Testament precedent in Zechariah and Job) reading of Satan in the New Testament as a parable of sin may at first not see why it is a problem to roll

Paul’s “god of this age”

into terms

such as “prince of this world”

John 12, above

or “prince of the power of the air”

(Ephesians 2, above), after all the terms are certainly similar.

Is is it then really significant that Paul should

upgrade his language from “prince”

Greek archon to “god” (Greek theos) in

dealing with the scriptural devil,

sin and death?

Well, yes. Paul chooses his words with precision,

perhaps more so than any other writer in the Bible.

Paul does not have any problem with using

the terms “Satan” or “devil” frequently,

sometimes in challenging and jarring contexts. If

he has chose here to use other language it is deliberate.

Go back to the context – what do we know about this “god”.

We know it is worshipped, because being worshipped is what

makes a god a god.

We know it is of this evil age, part of the zeitgeist of Paul’s day.

We also know that it blinds.

It is this identification of the “god of this age” as a

blinding god which brings us nearest to an answer.

This verb “to blind” is only used three times in the New Testament.

Once of God himself by Jesus

(John 12:40 citing Isaiah 6:10),

once by Paul of “the god of this age”,

and once by John describing the darkness in which

he who hates his brother walks (1 John 2:11)

So, a suggested answer:

The natural contrast in 2 Corinthians 4:4 is to

see Paul as expanding on John 12:40 and Isaiah 6:10 to

make clear what is already there in Isaiah, that the

blame for the blinding of the age is not on God,

but on the choices of the age itself.

As such Paul’s phrase is perfectly in accord with 1 John 2:11

which identifies the cause of blindness

as the choice of the man to walk in darkness.

It is not a god-angel which blinds the brother-hater in 1 John 2:11,

but the choice of the brother-hater himself.

But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness,

and does not know where he is going,

because the darkness has blinded his eyes. (1 John 2:11)

So there in 1 John 2:11 is our god of our age.

Likewise Paul’s “god of this age”

in 2 Cor 4:4 is not a simple equation with the general parable of

Satan in the New Testament. It is something special, a special personification, or deification, of all that is worshipped in this age – whether that be the

wisdom of this age, wealth, power, or

any other part of the

darkness of the age that blinds.

2 Corinthians 4:4 describes a blinding god. It is worshipped and blinds.
If we are letting the local context of 2 Corinthians 4 decide it a different creature than the standard New Testament Satan.

Against the above conclusion however it has to be noted that there is the possibility that 2 Corinthians 4:4 looks forward to the “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light” material of 2 Corinthians 11:14. This is discussed in a separate answer elsewhere on this site (How does Satan disguise himself as an angel of light? ). That 2 Corinthians 11 material is one of the most “difficult to understand” (as Peter called them in 2 Peter 3:16)

Paragraph. Clicca qui per modificare.

Paragraph. Clicca qui per modificare.

Paragraph. Clicca qui per modificare.

Paragraph. Clicca qui per modificare.

Paragraph. Clicca qui per modificare.

Anew Light Ministries

CREATING environments through the vehicle of Visual and Expressive ARTS to help plug people into their CREATOR by fostering Spiritual Growth. By combining Therapeutic Art, Christ-Centered CBT techniques, and Integrated Arts in Scriptural Education, I seek to Heal human brokenness and Redeem Fullness through the Transformative Healing Power of The Holy Spirit.

ARK Anew Jerusalem #ArkoftheCovenant #thegreatcommission #Tabernacle #anewlight #secondcoming #anewcreation #jesuschristisking #redemption #princeofpeace #revival #thykingdomcome #promiseland