Thursday, May 9, 2013
The Resurrection Saves
I read a book a while ago, Salvation Accomplished by the Son:
The Work of Christ, by Robert A. Peterson.
Peterson describes nine "saving events" in Christ's life.
1. Incarnation 2. Sinless life 3. Death 4. Resurrection
5. Ascension 6. Session 7. Pentecost 8. Intercession
9. Second Coming
Here are some highlights from chapter 4 -- The Resurrection.
The resurrection was predicted in the Old Testament.
The words of David in Psalm 16:8-11, were applied messianically to the
resurrection of the Greater David (Jesus Christ) both by Peter (Acts 2:24-28)
and Paul (Acts 13:34-35).
"God raised him up, loosing the pangs
of death, because it was not possible
for him to be held by it."
Acts 2:24
"And as for the fact that he raised him
from the dead, no more to return to
corruption, he has spoken in this way,
' I will give you the holy and sure blessings
of David.'
Therefore he says also in another psalm,
'You will not let your Holy One see
corruption.' "
Acts 13:34-35
**********
The resurrection is predicted in Isaiah 53 through the words, "He shall
prolong His days." Even though the Messiah would die, He would live again.
"When His soul makes an offering for guilt,
He shall see His offspring; He shall
prolong His days."
Isaiah 53:10b
The resurrection is an important part of the Gospel, predicted in the
Old Testament.
"For I delivered to you as of first
importance what I also received:
that Christ died for our sins in
accordance with the Scriptures,
that He was buried, that He was
raised on the third day in accordance
with the Scriptures, and that He
appeared to Cephas, then to the
twelve."
1 Corinthians 15:3-5
**********
Christ's resurrection assures the resurrection of believers.
"And if Christ has not been raised,
your faith is futile and you are still
in your sins...
But in fact Christ has been raised
from the dead, the firstfruits of
those who have fallen asleep."
1 Corinthians 15:17,20
"[Firstfruits] speaks of the first installment of harvest to eternal life,
in which Christ's resurrection will precipitate and guarantee that
all of the saints who have died will be resurrected also."
John MacArthur
**********
God the Father gave Jesus the Son, the authority to give up His life,
and to raise Himself from the dead.
"[Jesus said], 'For this reason the Father
loves me, because I lay down my life
that I may take it up again.
No one takes it from me, but I lay it
down of my own accord.
I have authority to lay it down,
and I have authority to take it up
again. This charge I have received
from my Father."
John 10:17-18
**********
Jesus promised eternal life to those who believed in Him, because He
would be raised from the dead.
"Because I live, you also will live."
John 14:19b
Jesus has the authority to give life to whomever He is pleased to give it.
"For as the Father raises the dead
and gives them life, so also the Son
gives life to whom He will."
John 5:21
Because He lives, His people are safe and will spend eternity with Him.
"My sheep hear my voice,
and I know them, and they
follow me. I give them
eternal life and they will
never perish, and no one
will snatch them out of
my hand."
John 10:27-28
**********
Belief in the resurrection is necessary for salvation.
"... because, if you confess with your mouth
that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart
that God raised Him from the dead you will
be saved.
For with the heart one believes and is justified,
and with the mouth one confesses and is saved."
Romans 10:9-10
**********
The resurrection saves.
"Blessed be the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ! According to His
great mercy, He has caused us to be
born again to a living hope through
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from
the dead to an inheritance that is
imperishable, undefiled, and unfading,
kept in heaven for you, who by God's
power are being guarded through faith
for a salvation ready to be revealed in
the last time."
1 Peter 1:3-5
**********
The resurrection brings justification and forgiveness of sins.
"It (faith) will be counted to us who
believe in Him who raised from the
dead Jesus our Lord, who was
delivered up for trespasses and raised
for our justification."
Romans 4:24b-25
He was raised to life for our justification. Christ's atoning death was
necessitated by our sin, and yet had His death not been followed by the
resurrection, it would not have been God's mighty deed for our justification.
"Without the resurrection of Christ, His death alone has no
atoning, redemptive, or liberating effect in relation to human
sin. It is because Jesus, our divine human representative, not
only died in our place, but also lives as Victor over sin and
the grave, He saves to the end all who come to God
through Him."
Anthony Thiselton
**********
Since Jesus was raised, He saves His people forever, because He continually
presents His priestly sacrifice in God's presence in heaven. Jesus' death was
not the end of His priesthood, for He rose from the grave, gave victory over death,
and now continues as our sole and ever living high priest.
"Consequently, He is able to save
to the uttermost those who draw
near to God through Him, since
He always lives to make intercession
for them."
Hebrews 7:25
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
No Such Thing As A Former Christian
While watching the news, I heard a commentator say that the widow of
one of the Boston bombers, was a Christian who had converted to Islam. I
immediately said outloud, "No she wasn't."
(I talk back to the TV sometimes when watching the news, and hearing
misinformation from the liberal media).
She wasn't a Christian if she left the faith. She is an "apostate."
"Apostasy" is the act committed by renouncing one's faith.
1 John 2:19 describes apostasy.
"They went out from us,
but they were not of us;
for if they had been of us,
they would have continued
with us.
But they went out, that it
might become plain that
they all are not of us."
These were people who claimed to be believers, but had never been
truly born again, or born of God. A person is not a Christian because he has
repeated the "sinner's prayer," or made the decision to follow Jesus," or
"accepted Him." False professions of faith are made quite often.
A person must be born again, and granted true repentance and faith by
God, in order to be saved. A mere intellectual acknowledgement is not enough,
because that comes from within the person, and salvation is a miracle from God,
not a decision made by man.
Departing from the faith proves that the person was never born again.
Those who have truly received the new birth from God will endure in faith and
fellowship and the truth. This is the doctrine of Perseverance (or Preservation)
of the Saints.
Believers are safely protected in the hands of Jesus.
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know
them, and they follow me. I give them
eternal life, and they will never perish,
and no one will snatch them out of
my hand."
John 10:27-28
God will keep His children strong to the end.
"[He] will sustain you to the
end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus
Christ. God is faithful by whom you
were called into the fellowship of His
Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
1 Corinthians 1:8-9
Nothing can separate the believer from God.
"For I am sure that neither death nor life,
nor angels nor rulers, nor things present
nor things to come, nor powers, nor
height nor depth, nor anything else in
all creation, will be able to separate us
from the love of God in Christ Jesus
our Lord."
Romans 8:38-39
**********
A true Christian will exhibit certain qualities:
"Goodness ,... knowledge ,... self-control ,... perseverance, ...
godliness, ... brotherly kindness, ... and love."
2 Peter 1:5-7
We can be assured of our salvation because of God's calling and election.
"Therefore, my brothers, be all the more
eager to make your calling and election sure.
For if you do these things, you will never fall,
and you will receive a rich welcome into the
eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ."
2 Peter 1:10-11
"By cultivating the qualities (listed above), they and others
can be assured that God has chosen and called them. The
genuineness of their profession will be demonstrated as
they express these virtues.
When God elects and calls, it is to obedience and holiness,
and these fruits confirm their divine source. Those who
in this way give evidence of their faith will never cease
to persevere."
NIV Commentary
**********
The true believer will:
1. obey His commands (1 John 2:3)
2. walk as Jesus walked (1 John 2:6)
3. abide in Him (1 John 2:24-25)
4. be sensitive to sin (1 John 3:6-10)
5. have the Holy Spirit in him (1 John 3:24)
**********
There is no such thing as a former Christian, because Jesus is a perfect
Savior. Everyone He saves, stays saved, because of Him. He will lose
none of His children.
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by
so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also
lay aside every weight, and sin which
clings so closely, and let us run with
endurance the race that is set before us,
looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter
of our faith, who for the joy that was set
before Him endured the cross, despising
the shame, and is seated at the right hand
of God."
Hebrews 12:1-2
Sunday, May 5, 2013
God's Love for His People
"Love consists in this: not that we loved God,
but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the
propitiation for our sins."
1 John 4:10
(More on propitiation later).
**********
Just as God loved His chosen people of Israel, He also loves His chosen
people from all over the world. He did not love the faithful in Israel because
of their righteousness or their great number (they were few in number),
but because He chose them to be His "treasured possession," and through
them to show His grace and glory to the rest of the world.
God chose to give them a special kind of love -- a saving love, that He does
not give to everyone.
"For you are a people holy to the LORD
your God. The LORD your God has chosen
you to be a people for His treasured pos-
session; out of all the people who are on the
face of the earth.
It was not because you were more in number
than any other people that the LORD set His
love on you and chose you, for you were the
fewest of all peoples, but it is because the LORD
loves you ...."
Deuteronomy 7:6-8a
God did not choose the Egyptians or Hittites or Amorites or Philistines.
He chose a certain people because of His special love for them, and because
He had a plan to use them for His glory.
When we love it is because God loved us first.
"We love because He first loved us."
1 John 4:19
There are verses that show how much God loves His people, but John 3:16
indicates the WAY He showed His love for them.
"For God loved the world in this way:
He gave His One and Only Son,
so that everyone who believes in Him
will not perish, but have eternal life."
John 3:16 (HCSB)
"The Greek word houtos, commonly translated in John 3:16 as "so" or "so much,"
occurs over 200 times in the New Testament. Almost without exception it is an
adverb of MANNER, NOT DEGREE (for example, see Matthew 1:18).
It only means "so much" when modifying an adjective (see Galatians 3:3;
Revelation 16:18). Manner seems primarily in view in John 3:16, which explains the
HCSB's rendering."
Holman Christian Standard Bible Commentary
************
Other Scripture shows the degree of God's love for His people.
Even though they were alienated from Him, because of their sinfulness, God still
loved them, and provided the only way to salvation - Jesus Christ.
"And you were dead in the trespasses,
and sins in which you once walked ...
carrying out the desires of the body
and the mind, and were by nature
children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
But God, being rich in mercy, BECAUSE OF
HIS GREAT LOVE WITH WHICH HE LOVED
US, even when we were dead in our trespasses,
made us alive together with Christ -- by grace
you have been saved ..."
... remember that you were at that time separated
from Christ ... But now in Christ Jesus you who
once were far off have been brought near by the
blood of Christ."
Ephesians 2:1,3b,4-5,12a,13
God adopts us (believers) as His children because of His great love for us.
"Look at how great a love the Father has
given us that we should be called God's
children. And we are!"
1 John 3:1
"The believer's hope is strengthened by the fact that God's love
initiated his salvation. Christ's return will unite the believer with the
heavenly Father who loves His child with an immeasurable love."
John MacArthur
His love for His people is unimaginable!
"For as high as the heavens are above
the earth, SO GREAT IS HIS LOVE
for those who fear Him."
Psalm 103:11
His faithful love for us endures forever.
"FOR GREAT IS HIS LOVE TOWARD US,
and the faithfulness of the LORD endures
forever. Praise the LORD."
Psalm 117:2
**********
God sent His Son, Jesus to be the propitiation for His people.
Propitiation means "appeasement" or "satisfaction." Jesus' death "satisfied"
God's wrath against His people because of their sins. He was their sub-
stitute, taking their place on their cross, paying for their transgressions through
His blood.
"He Himself is the propitiation for our sins,
and not only ours, but also for those of the
whole world."
1 John 2:2
Obviously, this doesn't mean Jesus satisfied God's wrath for every single
person who ever lived or lives today. If God the Father was appeased by
Jesus' sacrifice for everyone then all are saved, and no one will spend eternity
in hell. That is "universalism." This of course, is not biblical, as the Bible teaches
many will be separated from God for eternity.
**********
"The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross satisfied the demands of God's
holiness for the punishment of sin. So Jesus propitiated or satisfied God.
The phrase "for [the sins] of the whole world" is a generic term,
referring not to every single individual, but to mankind in general. Christ
actually paid the penalty only for those who would repent and believe.
A number of Scriptures indicate that Christ died for the world
(John 1:29;3:16;6:51; 1 Timothy 2:6; Hebrews 2:9). Most of the world will
be eternally condemned to hell to pay for their own sins, so they could not have
been paid for by Christ.
The passages that speak of Christ's dying for the whole world must
be understood to refer to mankind in general. "World" indicates the sphere, the
beings toward whom God seeks and has provided propitiation.
Christ actually satisfied fully the wrath of God eternally only for
the elect who believe. Christ's death in itself has unlimited and infinite value
because He is holy God. Thus, His sacrifice was sufficient to pay the penalty
for all the sins of all whom God brings to faith, but the actual satisfaction and
atonement was made only for those who believe (John 10:11,15; 17:9,20;
Acts 20:28; Romans 8:32,37; Ephesians 5:25)."
John MacArthur
**********
God's great love for His people was demonstrated by sending His One and Only
Son to die for, redeem, and save them.
Paul wrote the book of Romans to believers in Rome (Romans 1:6-7); thus the
word "us" in Romans 5:8 refers to believers only.
God has a special love for His people.
"...but God shows His love for us
in that while we were still sinners,
Christ died for us."
Romans 5:8
Thursday, May 2, 2013
The New Dividing Line
Liberals/secular progressives around the world have established a new line
that divides everyone, everywhere. This line is set in cement, and each one of
us must decide on which side we will stand.
Choose the right side (the liberal/secular progressive side) and you'll be
loved, praised, lauded, and celebrated. However, if you choose to stand on the
wrong side, the other side, WATCH OUT!! You will cursed at, called every
filthy name in the book, lose business, may even be fired for expressing an
opinion contrary to the politically correct crowd's opinion.
So, what is this issue that is so divisive? You may have already figured it out.
It's homosexuality!
**********
For months, the sports media, which are overwhelmingly liberal, have been
spreading a rumor that the first professional, male athlete will "come out" as
openly homosexual. Well, it finally happened this week when Jason Collins,
seven feet tall center who plays in the NBA, announced he was "gay."
The media have been throwing a party every day since. ESPN has had a
parade of guests on several shows, who offered their words of praise for Collins'
"courage." He's been called a hero, and the commissioner of the NBA praised
him for his "leadership in this important issue."
The commissioner of the NFL said homosexual players must not just be
"tolerated" in the league, but homosexuality must be "accepted" (as normal I
suppose). The acceptance and praise for Collins has been almost universal.
Almost!
**********
Raining on the parade of accolades for Collins, ESPN analyst Chris Broussard.
called homosexual behavior a "sin," and said it was "rebellion against God."
Broussard, who is a Christian, is now "Enemy #1" of the PC crowd, for daring to
stand up for traditional, Christian values, and calling homosexual behavior sinful,
and contrary to God's plan for humanity.
"Tolerance" is supposed to be a virtue, but for the Liberal/progressives, tolerance
for Christian beliefs is not acceptable for anyone to espouse. Anyone who opposes
the "gay movement" in any way is labeled a "bigot, homophobe, gay basher, and
intolerant."
ESPN, in the midst of its celebration of Collins' announcement, released a
statement apologizing for the "distraction" Broussard's comments had become.
Tolerance for his beliefs and values is very scarce. He may say it, but ESPN made
it obvious that he was not going along with the program. Broussard still has his job,
but I wouldn't be surprised if the network decides "not to renew his contract" when
it comes time to do so. His comments weren't in sync with the pro homosexual
agenda pushed by ESPN.
**********
Our president, who claims to be a Christian, but has publicly mocked the Bible
and those who hold it dearly on more than one occasion, has played a big part in
promoting "gay rights." Every year of his presidency, he has announced and celebrated
June as LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, Transgender) month in the U.S.
After opposing "gay marriage," he finally proclaimed last year that he had changed
his mind, and was now for it. Even though he claims to be a Christian, he called the
Holy Scripture in Romans 1, that condemns homosexual behavior, " an obscure pas-
sage," ("obscure" meaning "unclear").
He shows his ignorance of the Bible, because the message of Romans 1:26-27 is
anything but "unclear." 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 lists those who practice homosexuality
(along with other sins) as among those who "will not inherit the kingdom of God."
In Leviticus 20:13, homosexual behavior is called "detestable" by God, "an
abomination." Obama shows his arrogance in his support for the profanation of
marriage, essentially saying that he knows better than God, what is right and wrong.
Many Americans followed his lead and now support what the Bible calls sinful.
They who practice such things (along with gossipers, slanderers, God-haters, in-
solent and arrogant and boastful etc.) and approve of their practice, will be held
responsible by God.
"Although they knew God's righteous
decree that those who do such things
deserve death, they not only continue
to do these very things but also approve
of those who practice them."
Romans 1:32
They rebel against and ignore God and His Word. They think they are smarter
than God and know what the truth is, when in fact, they are hardened to the truth
because of their own sinfulness.
However, slurs are not what they need from Christians. They need what all sinners need -
to repent, and turn from their sins, and trust in Christ for their salvation. What do
we as Christians do? We certainly don't bow to the pressure of political correctness
and cave in to demands that immorality be tolerated, accepted as normal, and praised
and celebrated.
We stand on God's Word, and trust and follow Him. We deliver the Gospel to them,
and pray that God would soften the hearts of those who ignore Him, and that they
would be granted repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Without Him, they have no hope!
**********
So, the line is drawn. We all have a choice to make. I don't want God on my side;
I want to be on HIS side, for He is always right.
Which side of the line are YOU on?
More precisely, WHOSE side are you on?
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