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If anyone is interested
And would like to have the WORD document from these outlines in Romans with full formatting,
you can PM me and give me an email address to attach them to.
I will be glad to furnish them and trust me, they read much better with the formatting.
Blessings all
mib
Romans 5 Part 2
Romans 5: 12 – 21
I. The Headship of Adam (5: 12 – 14)
A. Sin entered into the world through one man. (5:12a)
1. Adam is the natural head of the entire human race just as Christ is the spiritual head. In (1 Cor.15: 45- 47), we read, “And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.”
2. His actions then represented all of mankind.
3. Paul does not say sin began with Adam; only that sin in the “human realm” of the world began with Adam. Sin began with Satan. (I John 3: 8)
B. Death Entered the World Through Sin (5:12b)
1. Because sin entered into the world by one man, so also did death, the consequence of sin, through that one man’s sin.
2. God did not create man subject to mortality (death).
3. God explicitly warned Adam that his disobedience of eating the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil would make him subject to death. (Gen.2: 17)
4. Before human sin existed, God had ordained that its wages would be death. (Ez. 18: 4;
Rom. 6: 23) “Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son
is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.”
5. There are three kinds of death that were the result of Adam’s sin:
a. Spiritual death: which is spiritual separation from God. Our spirit no longer desires the fellowship of God because we are spiritually “dead in trespasses and sin”. (Eph. 2: 1) “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;” Our understanding is darkened. (Eph. 4:18)
b. Physical Death: This is our mortality, which is our separation from other human beings through physical death.
c. Eternal Death: This is far worse than spiritual death in that it not only is eternal separation from God, but also eternal torment in hell. (Rev. 21: 8)
C. Death is Spread to All Men (5: 12c)
1. Death is spread to all men because all have sinned under Adam.
2. Adam acted for the entire human race when he was the head of it.
3. Sin is imputed unto all of us by the act of one.
4. This is known as the “Federal Headship of Adam”.
5. It was Adam’s sin of disobedience that condemned us, not Eve’s deception. (I Tim. 2: 14). ”And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. “
6. The same way Levi paid tithes to Melchisedec before he was ever born is the same way we are born in sin through Adam. “And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.”
7. It is the same principle that as in Adam all die, in Christ, all can be made righteous. “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (I Cor. 15: 22)
8. Christ is the head of a new race, a new, redeemed man, and the Church is His body, a new creation. “And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.” (I Cor. 15: 45, 47)
9. God did not create man to die. He had something better for us in mind and he still does today. He is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Pet. 3: 9b)
D. History verifies that Death Reigned over All Men. (12:13, 14)
1. From Adam to Moses sin was in the world, yet, no one transgressed the law because the law did not exist. (The Ten Commandments)
2. People were not judged because they had transgressed the Law. They were judged because they were sinners. (Gen. 6: 5) “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”
3. It was not possible to sin after Adam’s similitude because God had driven Adam from the garden and he no longer had access to the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, the one command God had given him, and Adam willingly and knowingly disobeyed. Neither have any of Adam’s ancestors had access to the garden or tree either.
4. Adam is declared to be a type of Christ. It is because his actions can affect all, and Christ’s sacrificial, substitutionary death on the cross for the redemption of fallen man can affect all of mankind also! “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God; For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” (Heb. 10: 10,12,14)
5. In Adam all are condemned to death. By Christ, all can be redeemed unto life everlasting by the doctrine of “Whosoever Will”. (Mt. 10: 32; 12: 50; Jn. 3: 16;Rev. 22:17)
II. The Headship of Christ (12: 15 – 21)
A. The Power of Grace Versus Adam’s Sin. (5: 15)
1. The term “free gift” can be said to be a “grace gift”. It is given by God completely apart from human merit or deserving.
2. This divine act of Salvation by Christ’s obedience is more powerful than Adam’s act of disobedience.
3. Adam’s act of sin caused many to die spiritually.
4. Much more did Christ’s one act of salvation have immeasurable greater impact on man than Adam’s transgression.
5. The divine provision of redemption is an expression of grace of both God the Father and God the Son, the one man, Jesus Christ.
6. The sin of Adam brought death, but the gift by the grace of one man, Jesus Christ, did more than just provide a way for fallen man to be restored to the state of Adam’s original innocence.
7. The free gift of salvation by the grace of God not only reversed the curse of death by forgiveness and cleansing of sin, but much more provided the way for redeemed men to share in the full righteousness and glory of God! (Jn.17: 22; Rev. 7: 9,14)
8. God’s grace is greater than all the accumulated sins of man from his creation plus all that he will ever commit.
9. Christ’s redemptive act of salvation by grace not only restores man to spiritual life, but
gives man the very life of God. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth
not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be
like him; for we shall see him as he is.” (I Jn. 3: 2)
10. The power of sin, death, can be broken; but the power of Christ, salvation, cannot be broken.
B. The Contrast between Sin and Christ’s Gift. (5: 16)
1. The gift is not anything like the result of the sin of Adam.
2. One sin, by one man, one time, brought God’s judgment and condemnation.
3. The free gift of justification is for all of our sins for all time and is an ongoing process. (2 Cor. 5: 19)
4. Two important truths:
a. God hates sin so much; it took only one sin to condemn the entire human race.
b. Greater than God’s hatred of sin is His love for the sinner, demonstrated by his grace in providing redemptions plan for our eternal salvation.
C. The Contrast of Results (5: 17)
1. By Adam’s sin death reigned over all.
2. It was not Adam’s plan or intent to have this happen, but rather for him and Eve to become like God, not at enmity with God. (Rom. 8: 7; Eph.2: 15,16)
3. The act of one man, Adam, caused death to reign.
4. The act of obedience of One Man, Christ Jesus, resulted in the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness to all who would receive it, and life eternal. (Rom. 6:23)
5. Christ’s one act offers life, spiritual restoration in that we are no longer at enmity with God, plus abundant life plus the gift of righteousness. “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (Jn. 10: 10) “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Cor. 5: 21)
6. To reign in life through Christ is to have power over sin. (Rom. 6: 17 – 18)
7. The One who granted us life will fulfill that life in us! “Being confident of this very thing, that he
which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Phil. 1: 6)
D. The Summarizing Argument (12: 18 – 19)
1. Paul sums up the doctrine of the Federal Headship of the race in Adam and Christ.
2. It is the underlying principle of the imputation of the sin of one to all and the imputation of the righteousness of one to all who would believe.
3. So as the judgment of death and the guilt of sin were placed upon us all because of Adam, much more was the pardon from judgment and guilt given us freely by His grace through the free gift of salvation!
4. Because of His Obedience to the Law, to His Father, to the utmost penalty of the Law, (though he lived a sinless life), even unto death, many are made righteous in God’s sight! (Lk. 2: 49; Jn. 4: 34; 5: 30; Phil. 2: 8)
5. This righteousness that He imputes to us therefore satisfies all the demands and requirements of the law, including the law’s penal requirements.
E. The Contrast of the Law and Grace (5: 20 – 21)
1. The Law was given as a pattern for righteousness, not a means of righteousness.
2. When the Law was given, then sin was imputed to the sinner and thus sin did abound. (vv. 13)
3. Disobedience to the Law never damned a soul to hell and obedience to the Law never brought a soul to God. God’s plan of salvation has always been by grace through faith! (Rom. 4: 3)
4. When sin increased, the grace of God increased much more!
5. How? When one receives God’s grace, many things happen because of His grace.
a. We are given the Holy Spirit to dwell within us and guide us unto all truth. (Jn. 16: 13)
b. We become the sons of God. (Jn. 1: 12)
c. We are sanctified, redeemed, and given Christ’s righteousness. “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:”(I Cor.1: 30)
d. We become heirs and joint heirs with Christ. (Rom.8: 17)
e. We are sealed unto the day Christ comes to redeem us! “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” (Eph. 4: 30)
f. We will reign one day as priests and kings. (Rev. 5: 10)
6. The grace of God, which through the righteousness of Christ to anyone who believes, leads them to eternal life is far greater than the one sin of Adam.
Romans 5 Part 1
My apologies this site does not allopw the formatting which I make extensive use of in my outlines for preaching purposes.
This will be a simple cut and paste without formatting so I have no idea how it will turn out.
The Security of Salvation (Rom.5: 1 –11)
Lesson #1 Six Eternal Links to Christ May 22, 2002
Introduction
In chapters 3 and 4 Paul established that we have been saved by the redemption that we have in Christ and of the tremendous cost of Christ’s substitutionary, sacrificial death on the cross for the redemption of us from sin. Paul made clear that salvation comes only on the basis of God’s grace through man’s faith in Him. Man’s only part is to accept what has already been done for him and his sins on Calvary and to receive the reconciliation and forgiveness offered from God so freely by His grace.
Anything else apart from simple faith in the finished work of Christ on Calvary, and His shed blood for the remission of sins, misses the salvation of God. Faith has always been God’s plan of salvation. “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted unto him for righteousness”. (Rom. 4: 3)
Once we have placed our faith in Him for salvation, it is by His power and Spirit that we are kept secure until He comes for us. I Peter 1: 5 says, “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” In chapter 5 the Apostle Paul refutes the false notion that believers must live in uncertainty about the completion or security of their salvation. He gives us Six Links in the chain of truth that binds a believer eternally to his Lord and Savior without any merit or effort on the believer’s part.
The Believer’s Peace with God (5: 1)
Link 1.
• The first link that binds believers eternally to Christ is their peace with God.
• In chapters 3 and 4, Paul established that believers are justified by faith. Because of our justification by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
• The words “we have” are in the present tense, indicating something that is already possessed by us.
• Peace with God is established the moment one trusts Christ as Savior.
• This is an objective peace and not subjective. It is a fact and not a feeling. It is not dependent upon man, but upon the finished work of Christ.
• This peace takes us from the realm of being enemies of God to being children of God.
• Every man born into this world is at enmity with God, that is, he is spiritually at war with God. (Rom. 5: 10; 8: 7)
• Every person who is not a child of God is a child of Satan. (John 8: 44)
• The reason we have peace with God after salvation is because Jesus made peace through
the blood of his cross. (Col. 1: 20) “And, having made peace through the blood of his cross,
by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or
things in heaven.”
• Christ reconciled us to God the Father the moment we were saved. (Col. 1: 20 – 21)
• This peace is permanent and irrevocable because Jesus Christ, through whom we have redemption and are reconciled to God, “ever liveth to make intercession for them”. (Heb. 7: 25)
• The peace that we have in the knowledge that we are eternally secure in Christ not only should strengthen our faith, but also our service. (Rom. 8: 38 – 39)
The Believer’s Standing in Grace (5: 2a)
(The 2nd Eternal Link to Christ.)
• We have obtained our access into this grace by faith because of our reconciliation to the Father through the blood of and our trust in Christ Jesus.
• In the Old Testament, people did not have direct access to the Father on the throne. Only the High Priest entered into His presence once a year.
• Christ’s sacrificial and substitutionary death ended that when the veil of the Tabernacle was rent in twain from top to bottom. (Mt. 27: 51) His death, through His atoning sacrifice, made God the Father accessible to anyone who trusts in Him and His sacrifice for salvation. (Heb. 10: 19 – 22) “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help us in time of need”. (Heb. 4: 16)
• Human faith in Christ is needed for salvation but God’s grace is the power that saves us and keeps us! We are not saved by His grace and then preserved by human effort. “For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast”. (Eph. 2: 8,9)
• John Gill said this of God’s grace: “it may refer to the grace of all the three Persons; for men are saved by the grace of the Father, who drew the plan of salvation, appointed men to it, made a covenant with his Son, in which it is provided and secured, and sent him into the world to obtain it; and by the grace of the Son, who engaged as a surety to effect it, assumed human nature, obeyed and suffered in it for that purpose, and has procured it; and by the grace of the Spirit, who makes men sensible of their need of it, brings it near, sets it before them, and applies it to them, and gives them faith and hope in it.” (John Gill preached 100 years prior to C.H. Spurgeon in the same church)
• It is on the basis of our faith in Christ that He brings us into this grace in which we stand.
• The word “stand” means, “to continue, enduring, persists, permanence”. This grace is everlasting for all eternity, from the moment we are saved through eternity.
• Paul said, “Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1: 6)
• If a dying Savior can bring us to Christ, how much more can a living Savior keep us in His grace? “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life”. (Rom. 5: 10)
• To stand in God’s grace is to stand in the sphere of continual forgiveness. (Rom. 5: 20)
• The Lord Jesus said, “I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish”. (Jn.10: 28)
• For a believer to doubt his security is to question God’s Word and his power, because, if salvation can be lost by anything we can do, our ultimate faith and trust must be in ourselves, and not in Christ.
The Believer’s Hope of Glory (5: 2b – 5a)
(The 3rd Eternal Link to Christ)
• The third reason for believers to rejoice is their hope of the glory of God.
The end of the divine work of salvation is the ultimate glorification of every believer in Christ. Romans 8: 29 – 30 says, “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”
• Salvation is anchored in the future because God gives his children the unchangeable promise that one day they will be clothed with the glory of his own Son. “And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one”. (Jn. 17: 22)
• To look for the Lord to come and take his Church out of this world is a glorious hope! Paul said to Titus, “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ”. (Titus 2: 13)
• This is the hope of the child of God, which demonstrates he has a future! “For our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven;” (Phil. 3: 20a)
• The Lord Jesus Christ himself guarantees this hope because He is our hope. “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Savior, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope”. (I Tim. 1:1)
• The Holy Spirit is a guarantor of the believer’s security and eternal hope. “Ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession”. (Eph. 1: 13b – 14a)
• The believer’s glorification starts in this world. “But be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind”, and “Being changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord”. (Rom. 12: 2a; 2 Cor. 3: 18)
• Believers are to rejoice in tribulations and trials. (5: 3) “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (2 Tim. 3: 12)
• Godly living brings about tribulations, or persecutions. Persecution develops perseverance, or patience. Patience develops godly Christian character, or experience in a believer’s life. (5: 3 – 5)
• The Lord Jesus said that we are “blessed” and are to “rejoice and be exceeding glad” when persecutions come our way, because “great is our reward in heaven”. (Mt. 5: 11 – 12)
• Paul says that our “hope of the glory of God” (v.2) is increased and strengthened by the Father through the process of tribulation, perseverance, and proving of our character. The end result is hope that does not disappoint! (5: 5)
The Believer’s Possession of Divine Love (Rom. 5: 5b – 8)
(The 4th Eternal Link to Christ)
• The fourth eternal, non-breakable, link that binds believers to Christ is the love of God, which is poured out (shed abroad) within our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who was given to us. (v. 5b)
• This love is the love of God for us, not our love for him, according to verse 8.
• The most overwhelming truth of the gospel is God’s unilateral love for fallen, sinful, rebellious, man. (John 3: 16)
• If God loved us this much when we were enemies, (at enmity), how much more does he love us now? (5: 9)
• The Holy Spirit is given by the Father to dwell within us and to seal us and to pour out the love of the Father within our hearts. (Rom. 5: 5; 8: 11; I Cor. 3: 16; 2 Tim. 1: 14)
• We know the love of God dwells within us if we have love one for another. (I John 4: 7) “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.”
We can also know our salvation is secure because we love the one who first loved us. “We love him, because he first loved us.” (I John 4: 19)
• Our spiritual security is not in our ability to live godly, but the power of the Spirit living in us makes us godly. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” (Rom. 8: 14)
• With the longing to love within our hearts by the Spirit, whenever we have a desire to pray, to praise, to meditate upon His Word, we know that the Holy Spirit is leading us. “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.” (Rom. 8: 16 – 17a)
• The love of God was divinely demonstrated when Christ died on Calvary for the ungodly. (5: 6) “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Cor. 5: 21)
• Every man ever born is the object of God’s love until the day he dies. Then it is eternally too late.
• God hates the sin but loves the sinner, so much that “He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life”. (John 3: 16)
Paul said about God’s love for man, “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 8: 38 – 39)
The Believer’s Certainty of Deliverance from Wrath (5: 9 – 10)
(The 5th Eternal Link to Christ)
• The phrase “much more then” indicates that what follows is even greater than what has preceded thus far.
• “Being now justified by his blood,” means having already been justified by the shed blood of Christ.
• Because He has justified us by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God!
• We are adopted as God’s children and thus, we are no longer “children of wrath”. “Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. (Eph. 2: 3)
• As part of His atoning work, Jesus delivered us “from the wrath to come”. “And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.” (I Thess. 1: 10)
• The “wrath mentioned here is what the prophets spoke of. “That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness.” (Zeph. 1: 15)
• If the death of God the Son can reconcile us to God, how much more will he keep us saved by the life of His Son? Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (Jn 14: 2 – 3)
Illustrating the power of the living Christ to keep us, John wrote, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” (I John 3: 2)
• Dr. J. Vernon McGee said, “We have been saved from the penalty of sin; He is constantly saving us today from the power of sin; and He is going in the future to save us from the presence of sin”.
• We are saved by grace, we are living by grace, and we are kept by His grace for all eternity.
The Believer’s Joy in God (5: 11)
(The 6th Eternal link to Christ)
• The last link to our eternality in Christ is our joy, or exultation in Christ. It is subjective evidence, but it is real in the lives of true believers.
Why do we praise God through our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave us access to the Father? Because of the gift of reconciliation He gave to us. “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ.” (2 Cor. 5: 18) “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.” (Rev. 5: 9)
• David was a man after God’s own heart and said, “let us exalt His name together”. (Ps. 34: 3)
• Paul said, “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?” (I Thess. 2: 19) Our salvation is so secure that we are almost already in His presence!
Board and brethren
I have taken a hiatus from this board for a couple days to attend to more pressing issues that required my full attention and time.
I have reviewed what has been said here by the beloved in Christ, including brother BB2.
I have only three words.
FORGIVE ME Brethren.
I too am a man filled with human frailty and emotion.
The exchanges of discussion should be such that Christ is lifted up and exalted and can be seen by the world as people who may see things somewhat differently but can discuss those differences witout tearing each other apart, as folks without Christ tend to do.
BB2, we are brothers in the Lord. He died for you adn willingly gave himself for you, therefore you are important to HIM and should be to myself as well. My apologies for hurting you.
Please forgive my iniquity and let us ask God to cleanse our unchristlike exchanges with the Blood never more to be remembered.
I will be posting a series of messages from Romans chapter 5 and then some other verses and things dealing with other subjects from the O.T.
I do not ask ANY to agree entirely with what I will make available, but do ask that if you want to discuss any of it, to do so with the attitude of Christ, in love and esteeming one another better than themselves.
In Christ's eternal Grace,
mib
Barge
Great video! Thanks.
So, can this equation be drawn yet?
Silverlight = TvTonic?
Or is it more accurate that Silverlight is powered by TvTonic and thus intertwined.
This is starting to get very interesting. Appreciate the discussion, including Alea's comments.
the best,
micro...
tkc
good morning. ISee what you are talking about. Gross margin. Yeah, I understand what that means and simply did not "see" it! lol!!!!
No problems mate ! Thanks.
mib
tkc
While it would be wonderful to see the company actually make a profit, and I know you are only using a percentage that is publicly available, the only time a "profit" or gross margin is going to be made is when the revenues exceed the burn rate. More income than outgo is the way the investing community likes to see it, as well as the boss! lol!!!!
Interesting figures though. Perhaps soon!
the best,
mib
Barge
so is it safe to say that Silverlght is joined at the hip as a siamese twin with TvTonic and that one is definitly dependent upon the other, and the one that is dependent is Silverlight?
That is interesting.
Thanks,
mib
bizzy
Are you questioning my salvation?
For the record, Jesus said, If ye love me, keep my commandments". I won't take time to look up the reference but I am sure you can find it in one of the reversed editions of books taken from corrupted texts written by men who were ungodly and believed in demonism and such called modern translations.
My light has shown before men for decades dear brother. I do not have to prove anything to you or anyone else for that matter.
You seem to have a problem with people who have sacrificed their lives for God's work and dedicated themselves to preaching the gospel and teaching doctrinal studies that are not of your "camp".
Signs and wonders, Like speaking in tongues perhaps? Are you wrapped up in that too?
Your diatribe is nothing I have not believed and preached for a very long time.
This is why I ask if you are questioning my salvation?
Do you want to engage in a discussion about soteriology? The entire process is described in detail in the OT and NT about how pople from ALL ages are saved, and it is not from animal sacrifices btw.
Romans chapter three and then chapter 4, combined with Hebrews 11, and Deuteronomy 30 is a good place for a beginning point.
Yes indeed. Praise God for the precious shed blood of Christ, for the cleansing of ALL OUR SINS OF ALL AGES!!! As Hebrews says in chapters 9 and 10 both, HIS sacrifice was sufficient ONCE FOR ALLLLLLLL!!!!! ALL people of ALL ages for ALL time!!!
Is the Bible wrong? In all places it describes this. Is it wrong? The entire chapters 3 and 4 in Romans is dedicated to this.
Yes indeed Romans 10, 9 - 13 certainly describes the process of salvation. With the MOUTH confession is made and with the HEART man BELIEVETH unto righteousness. Christ IMPUTES HIS righteousness to a regenerated man when that belief is triggered in and by FAITH through the power of the Holy Ghost who has been working since Creation and was above the waters performing ALL that the Father had directed.
Where do you get all this CRAP about religious traditions from?
Let me guess by your tripe about the passages in Revelation concerning the various churches. YOU think that the rapture takes place when?
THose scriptures you just took about all of them out of context and to whom they were written and the significance and individuality of those PARTICULAR CHURCHES.
Now then, what do you want to accuse me of next? Being Satan or what?
WHen you get a grip and decide to quit attacking and actually behave like you are a saved person and have the love of Christ in your words and penmanship be sure to let me know because you are not exhibiting any indicators of LOVE for the brethren at all. And THAT is an OUTWARD SIGN (found in the books of I John) of a true believer. Love of the brethren. Not a bunch of so called miracles.
The last person I knew who claimed to be into miracles and stuff developed cancer and died. A big time miracle faith healer who had the HOly Ghost and was just the talk of the town.
Turns out all the so called healings were staged and this person had NO POWER at all to do anything other than go to the grave like we all will unless Jesus comes back first.
You are not interested in HOW the BIBLE became translated into English and by whom?
That is a shame. WHat about Church HISTORY?
Where did we come from and how did this faith get here today?
How was it kept and passed on for two thousand years? By whom?
By accident?
These are important things to know.
Not to be confused with the impertive of being saved and regenerated, Justified and Sanctified, not having our own righteousness, but the righteousness of Christ placed upon us.
This is what is eternally important. The other things help one to know on what basis and how did the WORD that GOD had recorded for man get to us in English so we can read it and know HIS PLAN of SALVATION for us?
YOu don't need to copy and paste sections of the Bible for me. I have all of those things at my disposal and have read and lectured and taught and believed and asked the Spirit for wisdom and understanding as I studied and preached HIS WORD so that He would be glorified and pre-eminent in everything!
Nay bb2, your accusatorial tactics are wearing thin and your hatred is showing. You are not very nice in how you attack and you are not interested in a calm discussion but it appears you want to try to smear me for some reason.
Is this what you learned to do with all those verses you want to show me?
Is this how you get someone to look at something you want to show them?
IS this the manner in which to talk to anyone?
Would Jesus be pleased? Would He address someone like this?
Please talk to me wen you can be civil and you curb your anger. Otherwise, please put me on ignore,
Thanks,
mib
briboy, amen!
Here is a quick section. Jesus said
"26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and my Father are one."
Christ Himself testifies of the eternal security that one who comes to a saving knowledge of Christ has In CHRIST.
To say otherwise implies that Jesus will save them and then he either does not have power to keep what He has redeemed and regenerated, or that HE simply treated them like a Mrs. Paul's Fish commercial, you know, throw it back we don't want you.
This kind of heresy means that MAN has something to do with his salvation and regeneration. He can unregenerate himself. Man can now do what only the cross of Christ and the power of the blood could do.
Christ says HE WILL KEEP THEM and NOBODY is able to change that! Nothing man can do can alter or change the postion of that one who is now secure in God's own hand! Not sin, not anyone else, nothing!
He is ABLE to KEEP that which we have committed unto HIm against that day! Praise God for HIS EVERLATING POMISES that HE KEEPS.
Regarding forgiveness of sins and not losing one's salvation over it we have the entire chapter of I John chapter 1 to look out.
Here is an excerpt: I John 1: 6 - 10
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Verse 6 illustrates the point that the true believer is not going to wantonly go around committing sin as has been suggested. The "TEST" or "eveidence" of that saving faith is clearly shown here in verse 6.
The rest of the verses illustrate the fact that just because one has believed unto salvation does not mean that they are never going to sin again. THey will and CHRIST will forgive us and cleanse us according verses 8 and 9.
There are literally scores of scriptures we can turn to and examine whether someone that is truly saved, elect, can lose their salvation or not. THe overwhelming evidence is NOT. And that age old heresy about giving license to sin tickles the ears, but is contrary to this entire chapter of scriptures, so in order to hold onto our heresy, we must throuw out or cut out this chapter from the Bible.
briboy, when I have some real time I will post in detail of the salvation of the believer and also details of the Translators of the Bible, to whom we owe much, except BB2.
He didn;t need them and they weren;t qualified enough and made too many mistakes.
For HIS WORD, nothing added and nothing subtracted,
mib...
P.S. Remind me and I willpost a litany of messages on prayer and the believer for BB2's benefit.
V
This is simply UNTRUE
The message of both gives licence for disobedience and turns one away from the Lord. To be more precise—if you accept the false teaching of eternal security you will think you can sin with no concern of losing your salvation. You will think you can sin like David, when in adultery and murder, and still remain saved in such wickedness.
NOBODY that believes the Bible clearly teaches eternal security believes this, nor tells anyone else this kind of nonsense.
Statements like these are wild and tickling to the ears but bare no truth.
THe Apostle Paul clearly taught about the eternal security of the believer, as did Jesus Himself, but also warned the believers about sin, and noted that if one is truly born again, they will not desire nor want to willfully go around thinking that they have a license to sin. That is utter nonsense.
When I am able I will address this topic more fully.
This also demonstrates to me why you ahve a difficult with many things I have posted before.
BTW, a minor correcton from a previous post concerning location of Job. It was in what we would call EDOM. a land at that time that was controlled by Persia at the time but nevertheless, not in Israel and neither was he a Jew.
All I have time for. Will post FACTS later. As John Adams would say, "facts are stubborn things."
So you don't believe in the eternal security of the believer?
IS that why you posted that link?
Just want to be sure.
blessings,
mib
To the praying brethren
Thank you brothers and sisters in Christ for your effectual fervnt prayers. Please keep on keeping on. Today will be an ugly day.A change of a body suit will be a very excruciating painful thing as all the tissues and muscles that have been severed and repaired and sutchered will be pressed on and stretched.
Morphine will be given to help with pain and even considering rendering her unconscious. This will be no fun.
It is amazing how after all these years a father's love for his child never grows cold but is reinforced.
My heart's desire is to have God give me her pain and take it from her.
This should be the end of the most difficult aspects of this procedure and God willing the healing will be swifter rather than slow.
I cannot thank the brethren enough for your intercessory prayer on my daughter's behalf.
God richly bless you for your faithfulness.
In His Hand,
mib
BB2
It is comments like these from you,
Hmmmm, spirit and not Spirit. Either it's not the Spirit He was speaking of, or your post about preserving His Word by the brilliant Englishmen according to the Psalm you referenced was slightly misdirected.
that just make me want to say there can be no conversation.
Those "brilliant Englishmen were brilliant by the way. Far more brilliant than anything you can come up with. They also were scholars of ancient Greek and Hebrew.
They TRANSLATED the Textus Receptus into ENGLISH for the English speaking people of the world starting in thelate 1500's and through to the 1700's.
TRANSLATED is far from preserved my friend.
Why do you nit pick incessantly?
Is this bringing any glory to God?
It appears that all you want to do is quarrel and argue and ridicule anything and everything and it is obvious you do not read fully what was written before you go off on some derogatory tangent like the one I am responding to now.
What doth it profit brother? IS Christ being honored by these attitudes?
Are you telling me that HE did not preserve HIS WORDS according to HIS WOrd in Psalms 12? Is HE a LIAR?
Is HE not capable?
Did God use men to record HIS WORD for us? DO you think they had XEROX machines to recopy it as the papyrus and parchments started to go bad? Who made those copies of the copies?
MEN. Were they HOLY or GODLY men? WAS God watchging over all this? DO you suppose HE was capable ofpreserving HIS written Words throughout all this?
THAT in a nutshell is what I was trying to get you to see. The TRANSLATORS were the most scholarly men of their time in those early languages.
IF you think that what you read today from someone so far removed knows more Greek or Hebrew than those men from 400 years ago, then there isn't much I can say to you.
I read the KJV brother. Nothing else. It exalts CHRIST and HONORS HIM always!
NOWHERE did I say or ever would say that the HOLY SPIRIT did not preserve the WORD. That is exactly what happened.
The translators are the ones who gave of their lives to get it into english as accurately as they could from the originals so you and I can have GOd's Word to read, and be blessed by all HIS promises He has kept there for His creation.
When I have more time, I will post a bit about the TRANSLATORS.
Their testimonies were amazing and they did not even consider themselves worthy to to handle God's Word, much less translate it into English so the English speaking WORLD could have what GOD PRESERVED.
I already have a personal relationship with the preserver.
You have a great week yourself.
mib
NewWave
Good morning.
I agree with you that some kind of additional funding beyond these pipes is needed if wave is to continue to remain solvent until it either succeeds in its developing space or not.
I disagree though with the premise of selling of e-sign, which appears to be the one component that is actually holding its own and looks like it is poised to do even better.
I do not diagree with the sale of Xpress when/if that becomes viable and is worth something.
I also agree that the current climate is killing all companies looking for funding capital.
Let us HOPE that the q2 numbers are SUBSTANTIALLY higher than the Q1 and reflect what came out of the SHM and also that IF those numbers are VERY GOOD, that Wave has the good sense to actually get them made available ASAP to bolster this lagging and currently unsupported SP.
Here's to a brighter tomorrow and a great future!
the best,
mib
To all,
Thank you for your prayers of intercession before the throne!
God both hears and answers, and he knows our needs and our desires before we ever ask, but He still wants us to ask anyway.
My daughter had a major surgery yesterday that lasted close to 7 hours. She ill be very limited in mobility for several months. She is my firstborn and mother of my grandchildren.
Surgery was successful and she is in a lot of PAIN. The doctor has placed a pump in her to autmatically release measured doses of some potent pain killer. It helps but she is still in great distress.
It will now become a time of healing as the FATHER wills her recovery. We have set up a bed at her home downstairs where she will be the next few weeks.
Obviously, my attention will be there and I still need to minister to the flock. I will not be spending any time here because of present circumstances.
I also am not at liberty to say exactly what was done, but suddice it to say there were thousands of inside sutures involved and massive gluing externally. A body suit is on the exterior.
Grandma and grandpa will be taking care of the children for a bit and relieving our son in law.
Parents just never want to see their children in pain and hurting no mtter what age they are!
Please continue to ask God to bring about a speedy recovery if it is HIS WILL and to ease her pain and suffering. Her name is Andrea.
Thank you very much,
mib
mdt,
Relax. The Q2 numbers will either verify the statements from the ASH or they won't.
You will have as much info at that point as you will need imo.
the best,
mib
V
My daughter has serious surgery in less than 2 hours so this is going to be really quick.
Hebrews 10: 28 is another case of someone picking out one verse and trying to use it to prove something.
Why do you suppose that if somone despised the Moasaic LAw they died without mercy?
What did the Mosaic do or, what was it's purpose from God to mankind.
When you come to grips with this, which is the basis for the theology in this, we can have a discussion. Until then, there is much sabre rattling going on.
I would fear Chapter 10? Brother I LOVE chapters 9 and 10!
Let's look at verses 1 and 2
The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming--not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. 2 If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. 3 But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins,
going on....
4 because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; 6 with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased.
ARE we starting to see a pattern here regarding the sacrifices? THEY WERE NOT FOR SALVATION OR CLEANSING!
SO, IF PAUL STATES THIS, HOW WERE PEOPLE SAVED IN O.T.?
Moving on in chapter 10
7 Then I said, 'Here I am--it is written about me in the scroll-- I have come to do your will, O God.'" 8 First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the law required them to be made).
11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. 13 Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, 14 because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.
Okay, I think that what we have seen is that the sacrifices were never ever sufficient nor for cleansing of sins.
IT IS THROUGH the blood of CHRIST! The rest of the chapter is devoted to that theme!
The people were to place their faith in GOD! Example, the prophets preached "The kingdom of GOD" is at hand. They ALL looked forward to the cross.
We have the luxury of being on this side of the cross looking BACK.
WHO would require greater faith???
What did Jesus tell Thomas? "Thou hast seen and believed. How much more blessed are those that HAVE NOT SEEN and yet believed?"
When I return we will talk about this loosely used word "sealing".
WHAT EXACTLY does it mean????? HOW DOES IT get accomplished in the life of ANYONE who comes to a saving knowledge of faith?
DID GOD write the neames of O.T.saints in the book of life????
IF so, do you think they were ever removed?????
Can yours be?
Now we are getting into the the security of the believer and whether the same God which by His power sustains and keeps all things, and yet we question whether He will keep that which he has redeemed to Himself.
I must go as it is a thirty minute drive to the hospital.
A father's love for his daughter is indescribable.
Let me say this quickly.
I am seeing a tenor, or tone, consistently that I do not like . The WORD is not something I or any other mature believer is going to argue and fight over on a chat board. I think there is an awful lot of nit picking going on and I am not going to participate in it.
No offense to you V, but that is exactly what I see and others as well.
My staff has said the same and other preacher frioends of mine who have looked.
I have been counseled to just leave and say good bye.
Iron does sharpen iron done in the right spirit.
But when it becomes a jousting match it no longer honors the Lord and I will not be part of that.
Sorry if this hurts anyone's egos or feelings but think about it for just a moment. You may have to sit back and say, Lord, is this battling back and forth bringing any glory to you?
I must go now. My daughter is awaiting and I am sure very nervous.
Peace be unto you in Jesus Name!
mib
B@ Re: translators and Holy Ghost
Here is where you are questioning whether or not the Spirit of God led the writers of the KJV and inspired their thoughts and very writing instruments when you make comments like that.
Added words by the translators?
They wrote in the English at the time to convey the meaning.
Have you studied the rules of translation and what these scriptures went through before being written?
I have and in fact have all that information available. You may want to read some of it. If so ask me and I will put it out here on the board.
It is great stuff and these were the BEST in the world in ancient Greek and Hebrew in their time, which was about 450 years closer to the languages then than we are today, so guess who I am going to believe for accuracy?
I also believe God was able to preserve HIS WORDS according to Psalms 12: 6,7 He is quite capable of keeping that which he authored. Even as He keeps this planet at the right angle of tilt and distance from the sun.
Praise HIM because He said He will preserve HIS Words forevery HIS POWER.
What makes you think there is a word added by the KJV translators?
mib...
BB2
Semantics brother.
I am well aware of what power we have available to us and that for that matter, Christ already paid the penalty for the sins I do commit, whether they be sisn of omission or commission.
Yes, for the believer all sin is willful. Point made. We also still have a war between the flesh and the spirit every day that even the Apostle wrestled and fought with and I certainly am not going to put myself in the same league with Paul as being as good as he was. Even He said in Romans chapter 7 that the good things he wanted to do, he didn;t, and the wicked things he did not want to do, he did!
So, let me ask, did Paul sin?
Did he wrestle daily as he said a little farther in the same chapter? Of course he did, just like we do.
You mean you never have to confess any ill thoughts to the father and ask forgiveness?
You are a much better person than all the rest of us if that is the case.
Please be assured that people who have had the regenerating transformation of redemption and salvation occur within them still do sin, sometimes consiously and sometimes unconsciously.
I hope I have cleaned this up enough for you and yes, you were correct about willingly on the part of the believer, but let us not forget about those things we do that we are not necessarily aware of that offend other people and is sin against them either.
Thank God Jesus is faithful to forgive us!
mib
God bless you briboy!
Me to brother, me too!
This body of flesh is at WAR with the Spirit and like Paul did in Romans 7: 24, I cry O wretched man that I am!!!!
We are in a daily struggle with the flesh and with the mind. They are degenerative and corrupt.
Every minute is a new time and every hour is as well. If I can just make it past one more hour without sinning that is a victory!
Keep peeling that onion brother! I'll peel with you!
His Bond Servant,
mib
V,
Yes, God himself sacrificed in the garden to cover the sins of Adam and Eve and provide clothes for them as well. The scrifice pointed to CHRIST!
The ritualistic sacrifices pointed to Christ also but never cleansed sin. It only covered it and the sacrifices were used by God to teach the people and point them to Jesus.The LAW taught them they could not live a sinless life and pointed them to a Savior. The same one you and I have.
So if we hold to that concept about our views changing of the N.T., does that mean we really could do without the entire Old Testament scriptures and just use half a Bible?
Are not the O.T. scriptures applicable to today?
Why not?
What did God do away with beside the LAW? NOT the ten commandments.
Why did GOD do away with the LAW?
Because Christ fulfilled it! IT POINTED PEOPLE to CHRIST the MESSIAH, and since He has come, there was no need to keep it in place. The BLOOD of CHRIST was shed once for ALL.
Please spend some serious time in Hebrews chapters 9 and 10.
The blood of bulls and goats was not what saved people. It also only covered the sins, not cleanse the sins.
HIS sacrifice was sufficient once for ALL, old and new, to cleanse us from our sins, and remember them no more, as far as the east is from the west.
Again, blessings in Christ,
mib
Veritas,
*That is LITERALLY WHY, we read of David in the Psalms praying for the joy of his SALVATION <<< TO RETURN.
Do you not do the same today?
You mean your walk is so close to the throne that you never have strayed or fallen down and wished and longed for the fellowship you enjoyed before you broke it?
If so, then you are a sinless person. I have prayed and asked God numerous times to restore unto me the JOY of His great salvation. I have been in the VALLEYS longing for JOY.
Thank God Joy cometh in the morning brother!!! Thank God that we have an advocate with the Father! Thank God for scriptures like 1 John 1: 19
That verse does mean David lost the Spirit of God or His salvation. He had his close walk and relationship broken off due to unconfessed and unrepented of SIN. We ALL have that happen. This is why we need to repent and confess daily!!!!
Keep that fellowship and JOY chugging along and the communications open.
If I regard iniquity in my heart, does God hear my prayer?
This is where David was at.
I hope this helps my brother.
mib
Veritas,
It is called exogetics. Themes.
Doctrines are THEMES that RUN all the way through the scriptures.
Sometimes specific words are not used but plenty of places we see the same scenarios and occurences.
For example, take the word "RAPTURE".
Where do you find it? Does it mean that it doesn;t exist or that the saints will not be resurrected?
We look for patterns and consistencies. This is what we teach the students. YOu may not always find every single word or an exact verse to support things, but one surely will find niumerous illustrations describing the very same thing, and that is what I am talking about.
Those verses regarding several of the OT saints demonstrate that they indeed were indwelled by the Spirit.
Sacrificing animals never saved anyone.
A great study is Hewbrews. It describes perfectly what I just said and focus in chapters 9 and 10 and then go back and start at the beginning.
As to commentators or great godly men of the Past, I am so thankful for the FIVE companies of godly men who translated the textus receptus into what we call the 1611 authorized KJV Bible.
They were just men also. Godly men. Holy Men. Spirit led men.
Like Spugeon, and John Gill and AT Robertson and Dwight Moody and Andrew Murray and RG LEE and shall we talk about Justinian and Flavius, and other early church fathers?
Could we not learn from them?????? How about H.A. Ironsides, John MacArthur, J Vernon McGee and John Phillips and A.W. Tozer and Arthur W. Pink? John Bunyon of Pilgrim's Progress?
These were great Biblical Scholars. Dallas Billington and Tom Malone and dare we say Jack Hyles and Lee Roberson?
Dear brother, anything I can learn from these great men of God, learned and scholarly men, humble and servants of God, I would take all I can get. Sure I would make sure I followed along with their statements in the scriptures and look it up, but men like this normally document their positons very clearly so it is not difficult.
How did they become so versed in God's Word? THEY READ others works on topics and research them. I would not be so quick to point out what you perceive to be a weakness in brother Spurgeon. Many many theplogians cannot latch his shoes and we are ndebted for his recording of what the Lord directed his mind, which he submitted to God in every way, for study to show himself approved, and to serving the people, and preaching the word.
Nay, be not so hasty to discard great men used of God, which is why they were great.
Doctrinal theology does not mean exactly what you stated. Themes running through consistently.
By silent, we do not mean lacking examples and illuistrations of the same thing a particular word means. It means lacking one word to describe the very same thing being illustrated very clearly in more than one place.
That is what is meant by "silence".
I do hope these thoughts lend to some understanding of what I have meant.
Again, I am not willing to argue and fight.
I have no time for that.
IF you decide to believe what you want, that is fine.
I have decided a long time ago that what I shared with you regarding the ways and means of salvation in the O.T. was Biblically correct and doctrinally correct and held by many scholars and godly men. I find that for me, I believe they are right on target according to the scriptures.
For His glory,
mib
Spirit dwelling within O.T. people.
Here are the verses that I already posted and examples of the people.
Joseph (Genesis 41:38), Joshua (Numbers 27:18), David (1 Samuel 16:12–13), and Daniel (Daniel 4:8, 5:11–14, 6:3) all had the Spirit in them. To dismiss these examples as being a temporary and limited indwelling of the Spirit is not sound exegesis. There is no statement in scripture that the Spirit departed from any of these men.
These instances clearly demonstrate that the Spirit dwelled within them, or "indwelt" them.
It also demonstrates that the Spirit was active and working during the Ist covenanat times.
I hope these examples will be reviewed as I have looked at them a second time to be sure.
Blessings to you all,
mib
V
You said
They kinda had a monopoly there.
Point is, animal o/t LAWS were in effect up until the The Word became flesh and dwelt/SPOKE among them, the new testament.
Not arguing that they continued to do this.
Question that you have not examined is WHY was the LAW put into plce.
Paul gives the answer.
Galatians 3: 19 - 23 ahould give sufficient scripture pertaining to the SALVATION of O.T/ saints.
As to BB's question regarding indwelling, I will get back to that when I have time.
Please please please bear in mind that just because there is no absolute ONE scripture that SAYS exactly what we want it to say, but there are LOTS of examples of what we are talking about, SILENCE on a subject is a weak argument when dealing with doctrinal theology.
Galatians 3:19-29
19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. 21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. 22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
What did the animal sacrifices represent?
What did they POINT people to?
WHO was it that Abraham looked to afar off and believed?
Were the sacrifces and MOSAIC law around when Abraham lived?
Then HOW did he become declared righteous by God if he were not SAVED BY FAITH????
IF we could be saved by simply sacrificing a bunch of animals noone would have needed Christ to come and shed His blood right?
Abraham and all the rest would not need to have believed in the coming Messiah and trust GOD.
Brother, I am trying to only point out a few obvious things in dealing with the subject of the people in Old Testament times we are going to meet in heaven, both JEWS and GENTILES alike!
Job was a Gentile btw.
Anyway, good discussion and please , let nobody take offense.
This isn;t going to matter one iota in eternity, right???
We can all find out there who was right, but I suspect I will be more interested in seeing Christ, praising HIM, and visiting with all who have gone on before me waiting there. Amen????
Let us not get hung up majoring on the minors, amen????
Bless you all for your thoughts and comments.
I really have no desire to get into a debate over it.
Shalom,
mib
Veritas
My brother,
You are as entitled to your opinion, but I would not be dogmatic about it.
Many a well learned and studied theologian would strongly disagree with you, including Spurgeon.
What is the primary difference between the old and new covenants?
When you realize this simple truth and answer you may want to reconsider your position.
Alas, I did tell you that not all will agree on everything, so I will leave it go at that.
The questiion for all believers today is not whether the likes of Heremiah or Moses or Abraham or Joshua will be seated in heaven, but whether or not WE WILL.
We must look to our own FAITH even as they did, and it was accounted unto them for righteousness.
Where does righteousness come from and how is it that God can declare a sinful man, whom Isaiah declared that all our righteousness as as filthy rags, rightous if that man did not have the cloak of Christ's righteousness wrapped around him, even in the Old Testament time?
This is exactly why a deep and thorough study of all scripture is necessary.
What you are suggesting runs contrary to the theme of salvation throughout the entire Word.
Are you suggesting men and women were not saved by grace and faith during the O.T.?
I hopee you do spend some valuable time rethinking that, but that is your decision.
Blessings in Christ brother,
mib
Brad, Regarding JOB's land
He did not live in the land and in Fact was a gentile. He ived in what we would call Persia.
Just a little help to understand that GOD did SAVE GENTILES even in the O.T. age. He was called righteous, which indicates that he was a true believer and fellow saint.
Job is a fascinating study filled with hundreds if not thousands of marvellous truths we can apply to our lives today!
Isn't the word of God afresh and lively? It is a fountain bubbling up and bringing new lessons and knowledge to those who would drink deeply!
Blessings this day,
mib
Good morning and Blessed Lord's day ALL!
Some more notes on Veritas's direct question regarding the ministry of the Holy Spirit in O.T. saints.
Not EVERYONE will agree 100 percent but this is what I believe from the scriptures sealing by the Spirit in the O.T.
Regarding the INDWELLING of the SPIRIT
The sealing of the Holy Spirit takes place in the hearts of believers (2 Corinthians 1:22) (look up the greek here)
The Bible definitely states that the Holy Spirit did indwell believers prior to the crucifixion. Matthew 10:20 declares that the Holy Spirit will speak in the apostles the same expression used in John 14:17, He will be in you). Joseph (Genesis 41:38), Joshua (Numbers 27:18), David (1 Samuel 16:12–13), and Daniel (Daniel 4:8, 5:11–14, 6:3) all had the Spirit in them. To dismiss these examples as being a temporary and limited indwelling of the Spirit is not sound exegesis. There is no statement in scripture that the Spirit departed from any of these men.
It is true that David prays that the Lord will not take His Holy Spirit away (Psalm 51:11). It is also stated that the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul (1 Samuel 16:14).
We have seen that INDWELLING was clearly the case with O.T. saints just as it is with N.T. saints, which demonstrates that the Spirit was working in the presence of men in both ages. Let's now look at another ministry of the Holy Spirit with regard to SEALING those whom He has Indwelt.
The Ministry of Sealing
Enns writes,
The principal idea of sealing is that of ownership. The believer is sealed with the Spirit to identify the believer as belonging to God. Branding cattle would be a parallel; the rancher puts his brand on the steer as a sign that the steer belongs to him. God has put His seal, the Holy Spirit, within the believer to verify that the believer belongs to Him. Second Corinthians 1:22 indicates that the Holy Spirit Himself is the seal … Moreover, the sealing is permanent--with a view to the believer’s ultimate glorification (Eph. 4:30). Hence, the sealing not only emphasizes ownership but also security. The Holy Spirit verifies that the believer permanently belongs to God [emphasis in the original]
Now, that being stated, the Old Testament does not speak of believers being sealed for the day of redemption. However, all the features of sealing are spoken of in the Old Testament. Who can miss the matter of God’s ownership of Israel (Leviticus 26:12; Deuteronomy 26:17–19, etc.) and of individual believers (1 Kings 19:18; Psalm 1:6; Nahum 1:7, cp. 2 Timothy 2:19)? The indwelling Holy Spirit is the seal (2 Corinthians 1:22) and it has been demonstrated that the Old Testament saints were indwelt by the Spirit. As to the matter of the security of the believer, the saints of former dispensations were regenerated and indwelt and, therefore, must be as secure as those regenerated and indwelt today.
It is my prayer that this will enlighten and edify God's people for the purpose of being able to teach others the things of God.
This was from some text books of mine and from brother Clifford Rapp of Chafer Theological Seminary, and Dr. CHarles Ryrie of Moody Bible.
Blessings this Lord's Day,
mib
Hi V!
Getting ready for bed but let me try to recall some things from memory. It has been a couple years since I taught expositorily through Job.
One thing I keep remembering is the fact that JOB was not a JEW, so there goes the animal sacrifices and the Law out the windwo concerning him.
Interestingly enough, if you dig some more you may uncover where he lived and also what famouse Biblical person was still alive at the time Job lived! Quite amazing.
But back to memory. I am 90 percent sure that God attributed to Job him being righteous. This was ana mazing thing because if one realizes that all righteousness can ONLY come from Christ placing HIS righteousness upon us, that indicates that JOB was a SAVED man, the same way you and I ccome to Christ, by FAITH.
In Hebrews we read that by Faith Abraham, and BY FAITH Moses, and by faith.. all in Hebrews 11, the great faith chapter.
In Galatians 3: 6 Abraham's faith was accounted unto him for righteousness. In Romans 4: 16 we have some very applicable additoinal scripture regarding FAITH in the Old Testament.
You see, the LAw was to show man that he could not keep it. It was a schoolmaster to bring them to believing in Messiah, Jesus Christ. They could not live a sinless life on their own which is why Hebrews chapter 9 and 10 are so very important.
I don;t believe this scripture teaches anything about Job not believing that a man or woman can lose their salvation. Many times when people made sacrifices to God under the first covenant they did it outof obedience to the Law and fear of the Lord.
The sacrifices were laways pictorial reminders and images of the sacrificial Christ for thie sins, in their time they looked to by faith MESSIAH.
I do sincerely apologize for not having my notes here in front of me and that I am somewhat very tired.
I hope I have at least answered your question of me, and possibly have given you some additional information that pertains.
Have a blessed day worshipping with fellow believers on the Lord's DAY tomorrow!
Blessings in Christ,
mib
MAy I say,
as a Pastor that my calling was from God to minister (that means serve the needs in whatever form) to people and to preach the Gospel. Reaching the lost with the Word and telling them of salvation by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus, by suppoting missionaries to take this Word to other peoples and places I cannot go myself.
NOWHERE did I ever or any of my other Pastoral friends feel "called" to preach the politics or be a political activist.
Time is short. People are dieing and going to a hell without God, forever. WE must at all costs resscue the perishing because Jesus came and died, the just for the unjust, the lovely for the unlovely, the Prince of Peace and Lamb of God, sacrificed Himself for ALL to freely COME to HIM by FAITH to receive the free pardon for sin!
Pastors are not called to be politicians.
Period and end. If God wanted that person as a politician he would not have called him TO SERVE GOD and preach the gospel.
Yes, pastors, preachers, whatever have no place or business in being a political activist.
Sorry. Just had to express this as it is a hot button for many preachers who are faithfully preaching God's Word and ministering to the needs of people daily.
Blessings,
MIB
A well written Doctrinal PAper on Justification from the 17th century
THE
DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION
OPENED AND APPLIED
By
Walter Marshall
(17th Century)
"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ: whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believes in Jesus" (Rom. 3:23-26).
The apostle having confuted and overthrown all justification, either of Jew or Gentile, by works, in the foregoing discourse, is now proving what he asserted (v 21, 22): "That the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference," showing that now in the gospel times there is no difference between Jew and Gentile, but that in the justification of both, the righteousness of God without the law is manifested. This he proves by showing what the gospel teaches concerning the way of justification, for THE GOSPEL only reveals the righteousness of God (Rom. 1:16,17): "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ... for therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith."
So the words are a declaration of the gospel way of justification by the righteousness of God, and that so clearly and fully, and the benefit spoken of so great and glorious, being the first benefit that we receive by union with Christ and the foundation of all other benefits, that my text is accounted to be evangelium evangelii, a principal part of the written gospel, as briefly and yet fully expressing this excellent point more than any other text.
Note in the words particularly the subject declared and explained, namely, justification of persons, or their being justified; and the meaning of it here is to be cleared and freed from all ambiguities and misunderstanding. Justification signifies "making just," as sanctification is "making holy," glorification "making glorious"; but not making "just" by infusion of grace and holiness into a person, as the Papists teach, confounding justification and sanctification together, but making "just" in trial and judgment, by a radical sentence discharging guilt, freeing from blame and accusation—approving, judging, owning and pronouncing a person to be righteous. Use alters the signification. It is a juridical word, or law term, and has reference to trial and judgment: "With me it is a very small thing, that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment; yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself, yet am I not hereby justified: but He that judges me is the Lord" (1 Cor. 4:3,4).
And it is so opposed to condemnation in judgment: "If there be a controversy between men, and they come into judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked" (Deut. 25:1). And, "By your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned" (Matt. 12:37). And it is opposed both to accusation and condemnation: "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? Who is he that condemns?" (Rom. 8:33,34). And so, "If I justify myself, my own mouth shall condemn me" (Job 9:20). "I will maintain mine own ways before Him.. .1 have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.. .Who is he that will plead with me?" (Job 13:15-19). Here justification is plainly opposed to the accusation or fault. And it is as plainly opposed to the passing sentence of condemnation: "Do, and judge your servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head, and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness" (1 Kings 8:32). In this sense it is a sin to justify the wicked (Isa. 5:23; Prov. 17:15; Job 27:5). Actions must be existent already and brought to trial that they may be justified (Job 33:32; Isa. 43:9,26).
Justice of righteousness consists not in the intrinsic nature of an action, but in its agreeableness to a rule of judgment, so that actions are called just and righteousness by an extrinsical denomination with relation to God’s rule of judging. And this righteousness appears by trying the action according to the rule, and by making an estimate of it; which estimate is either approving or disapproving, justifying or condemning, finding it to be sin or no sin, or breach of the law. So we may say of the righteousness of persons with reference to such habits or acting. And because the righteousness of righteous persons appears when they are brought to trial and judgment, therefore they are said then to be in a special manner justified, as if they were then made righteous, that is, when their righteousness is declared: as Christ was said to be begotten the Son of God at the resurrection (Acts 13:33), because He was then declared to be the Son of God (Rom. 1:4).
And in the same sense we that are adopted at present are said to "wait for our adoption," that is, the manifestation of it (Rom. 8:23). And thus even God is said to be justified when we judge of His actions as we ought to do and deem them to be righteous (Job 32:2; Ps. 51:4; Luke 7:29), though nothing can be added to the infinite righteousness of God. And wisdom is said to be "justified of her children" (Matt .11:19).
So justification is not a real change of a sinner in himself (though a real change is annexed to it) but only a relative change with reference to God’s judgment. And thus the word is used in the text, and so also in matters of judicature throughout the Scripture. Yea, some contend against the Papists that it is nowhere in Scripture used otherwise, except by a trope borrowed from this as the proper sense. And in the text it is beyond all doubt meant of being deemed and accounted just in the sight of God; for such a justification is here only treated of as appears in the text (Rom. 3:19,20). And I have been the longer explaining the sense of the word because the mistaking it, by reason of its composition, occasioned that popish error whereby the benefit signified by it is obscured, yea, overthrown, so that we had need to contend for the sense of the word.
In the text we have the eight following things:
1. The persons justified—[1st] Sinners; [2nd] Such sinners of all sorts that shall believe, whether Jews or Gentiles.
2. The justifier, or efficient cause—God.
3. The impulsive cause—grace.
4. The means effecting, or material cause—the redemption of Christ.
5. The formal cause—the remission of sins.
6. The instrumental cause—faith.
7. The time of declaring—the present time.
8. The end—that God may appear just.
From hence, therefore, will arise several useful observations, all tending to explain the nature of justification, which shall be laid down and cleared out of the text and confirmed particularly, and then I shall make use of them altogether.
1. They who are justified are: [1st] sinners, such who are come short of the glory of God, that is, of God’s approbation (John 5:44); of God’s image of holiness (2 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 4:24); of eternal happiness (1 Thess. 2:12; Rom. 5:2; 2 Cor. 4:17).
(a) The law condemns all sinners and strikes them dead as with a thunderbolt (Rom. 3:20), and adjudges them to shame, confusion and misery, instead of glory and happiness, by the strict terms of it (Rom. 2:6-12), which none fulfills, neither can do (Rom. 8:7)—neither Jews nor Gentiles. There is no hope, if free grace restore them not.
(b) Christ came only to save sinners and died for this end: "When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly" (Rom. 5:6). And "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief" (1 Tim. 1:15). "I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Matt. 9:13). "The Son of man is come to save that which was lost" (Matt. 18:11).
And God must be believed on to salvation, as a God that "justifies the ungodly." He must believe, as one that works not, on Him that justifies the ungodly (Rom. 4:5).
[2nd] Sinners of all sorts, without difference, whether Jews or Gentiles, that believe are the subjects of this justification. This is the scope of the apostle, to show that whereas Jews and Gentiles were universally condemned by the light and law of nature, or the law written, so "the righteousness of God is upon all them that believe" (Rom. 3:21,22) without difference. This was a great point to be defended against the Jews in the apostle’s time, who appropriated justification to themselves in a legal way, and to such as were proselytes to the law and circumcision, and therefore the apostle Paul vehemently urged it (Rom. 10:11, 12). And it was a point newly revealed to the apostles, that the Gentiles might be accepted without turning Jews, and much prized as a very glorious revelation (Acts 10:28, 45; Eph. 3:4,5,8; Col. 1:25-27). And it is confirmed,
(a) Because, notwithstanding the Jew’s privilege of the law, by reason of breaking the law they had as much need of free justification as the Gentiles, and no worthiness above the Gentiles by their works, but were rather greater sinners (Rom. 2:23, 24). And when there is equal need and worth, God might righteously justify one as well as another (Rom. 3:9).
(b) God is the God of the Gentiles as well as of the Jews (Rom. 3:29), as He promised (Rom. 4:9,12,13; Gal. 3:8; Isa. 19:25; Zech. 14:9).
(c) Abraham was justified before he was circumcised, that he might be the father of those that believe, though uncircumcised, that they might inherit the same blessing (Rom. 4:10-12).
(d) This will appear further by showing that justification is only by faith and without dependence upon the law, merely by the righteousness of another, and so Jews and Gentiles are alike capable of it.
2. That the justifier, or efficient cause of justification is God. It is an act of God (Rom 8:33). It is God that justifies. He only can justify authoritatively and irreversibly.
(a) Because He is the lawgiver, and has power to save and destroy (James 4:12). This case concerns God’s law, and can only be tried at His tribunal. He is the judge of the world (Gen. 18:25). It is a small worthless thing to be justified by man, or by ourselves merely (1 Cor. 4:3,4).
(b) To Him the debt of suffering for sin and acting righteousness is owed and therefore He only can give a discharge for payment, or a release of the debtor (Ps. 51:4; Mark 2:7).
3. "God justifies souls freely by His grace" (see the Greek). One of these expressions had been enough, but this redoubling it shows the importance of the truth, to quicken our attention the more. Here is the impulsive cause of justification and His free manner of bestowing it accordingly. And this signifies God’s free undeserved favour, in opposition to any works of our own righteousness whereby it might be challenged as a debt to us: "Now to him that works is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt" (Rom. 4:4). "If by grace, then is it no more of works; otherwise grace is no more grace; but if it be of works, then is it no more grace; otherwise work is no more work" (Rom. 11:6). "By grace are you saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast" (Eph. 2:8,9). "Who has saved us, and called us with an holy calling,, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ" (2 Tim. 1:9,10). Grace is mercy and love showed freely, out of God’s proper motion showing mercy, because He will show mercy, and loving us, because He will love us (Rom. 9:15). And this is confirmed,
(a) Because there was not, nor is anything in us, but what might move God to condemn us, for we have all sinned (Eph. 2:3; Ezek. 16:6).
(b) Because God would take away boasting and have His grace glorified and exalted in our salvation. He will have all the praise and glory, though we have the blessedness. "That in the ages to come, He might show the exceeding riches of His grace, in His kindness toward us, through Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:7,9; Rom. 3:27).
4. "God justifies sinners through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ, whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood." This is the effecting means, or material cause of our justification, namely, redemption and propitiation through the blood of Christ, which is the righteousness of God treasured up in Him.
By "redemption" is meant properly such a deliverance as is made by paying a price, and so the words "redeem" and "redemption" are frequently used (Ex. 13:13; Num. 3:48, 49, 51; Lev. 25:24, 51, 52; Jer. 32:7, 8; Neh. 5:8). From this proper signification it is borrowed to signify a deliverance without price (Luke 21:28; Eph. 1:14; 4:30), or rather, by a metonymy of the cause, put for the highest effect, the state of glory; so that the state of glory is called "redemption," as being the completing and crowning effect of Christ’s redemption; therefore it is called the "purchased possession."
By a "propitiation" is meant that which appeases the wrath of God for sin and wins His favour. And this propitiation of Christ is two ways typified: first, in the propitiatory sacrifices, whose blood was shed; and, secondly, by the mercy seat, which was called the propitiation, because it covered the ark wherein was the law, and the blood of the sacrifices for atonement was sprinkled by the high priest before it. And this mercy seat was a sign of God’s favorableness to a sinful people in residing among them, and is the same word as "propitiation" (Heb. 9:5).
Now this doctrine appears confirmed for these reasons:
(a) Because Christ, by the will of God, gave Himself a ransom for us to redeem us from sin and punishment, wrath and curse. "He gave Himself for us, to redeem us from all iniquity" (Titus 2:14). He gave Himself to death for us, was delivered for our offences; His death was the price of our redemption, that we might be justified in God’s sight. God gave Him up to death, He spared Him not, that He might be made righteousness. He gave His own life a ransom for many (1 Cor. 1:30; Matt. 20:28; 1 Tim. 2:6). He bought us with this price (1 Cor. 6:20). He redeemed us not with silver and gold, but with His precious blood, as of a lamb without spot (1 Pet. 1:18,19; 2 Pet. 2:1; Rev. 5:9). He suffered the penalty due to us for sin. He bare our sins in His own body on the tree (1 Pet. 2:24). He was made a curse for us (Gal. 3:13), and in this way redeemed us from the curse of the law and, that He might be made a curse, He was made sin for us (2 Cor. 5:21; Isa. 53:5,6). He subjected Himself to the law, in active as well as passive obedience (Gal. 4:4), and obeyed His Father even to death, doing and suffering at His commandment (John 14:31; Heb. 10:7), and His obedience was for our justification. Compare Romans 5:19 with Philippians 3:8,9. So Christ satisfied both our debt of righteousness and debt of punishment, for our faultiness, taint of sin and want of righteousness, as well as for our guilt and obnoxiousness to punishment, that we might be free from wrath and deemed righteous in God’s sight. His suffering was the consummating act of redemption, and so all is attributed to it (Heb. 2:9,10)—even to His blood, though other doings and sufferings concur (2 Cor. 8:9). We are righteous by Him as we were guilty by Adam (Rom. 5:12).
(b) God accepted this price as a satisfaction to His justice, which He showed in raising Christ from the dead and so accepting Him for all our sins: "He was justified in the Spirit" (1 Tim. 3:16), for us, "raised for our justification" (Rom. 4:25). "It is God that justifies: who is he that condemns? Is it Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen from the dead" (Rom. 8:33,34). And "by one offering He has perfected for ever them that are sanctified" (Heb. 10:14). And this sacrifice was a "sweet-smelling savour to God" (Eph. 5:2). If Christ had sunk under the weight of our sins and had not been raised, the payment had not been finished and so the debt not discharged: "Of righteousness, because I go to my Father" (John 16:10).
(c) This redemption is in Christ, as to the benefit of it, so that it cannot be had except we be in Christ and have Christ; so the text expresses and shows that He is the propitiation and, as such, He is our righteousness (1 Cor 1:30). We have redemption and righteousness in Him (Eph. 1:7; 2 Cor. 5:21), and therein our freedom from condemnation (Rom. 8:1). Christ died that His seed might be justified (Isa. 53:10,11)—those that are in Him by spiritual regeneration (1 Cor. 4:15).
5. The formal cause of justification, or that wherein it consists, is the remission of sin, that is, not only the guilt and punishment is removed, but the fault; because it is a pardon grounded on justice, which clears the fault also. By Him we are justified from all things that the law charges us with (Acts 13:39).
In men, subject to a law, there is no middle condition between not imputing sin and imputing righteousness, and so these terms are used as equivalent: "Through this man is preached the forgiveness of sins; and by Him all that believe are justified" (Acts 13:38, 39; Rom. 4:6-8; 2 Cor. 5:19,21; Rom. 5:17). This is through the bloodshed of Christ (Eph. 1:7; Matt. 26:28).
6. God justifies a sinner through faith in Christ’s blood. Faith is the instrumental cause of receiving this benefit, faith in the blood of Christ.
(a) This faith is a believing on Christ, that we may be justified by Him: "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ; even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law" (Gal.2:16). We believe in Christ for justification, out of a sense of our inability to obtain justification by works.
(b) This faith does not justify us as an act of righteousness, earning and procuring our justification by the work of it, for this would have been justification by works, as under the law, diametrically opposite to grace and free gift; which excludes all consideration of any works of ours to be our righteousness, under any denomination or diminutive terms whatever, whether you call it "legal" or "evangelical," though you reckon it no more than the payment of a peppercorn (Rom. 11:6). Faith in this case is accounted a not-working (Rom. 4:5). And it is not faith that stands instead of the righteousness of the law, but the righteousness of Christ, which satisfies for what we ought to have done or suffered, as has been shown.
(c) God justifies by faith, as the instrument by which we receive Christ and His righteousness, by which we are justified properly; and we are justified by faith only metonymically, by reason of the righteousness received by it; and to be "justified by faith" and "by Christ" is all one (Gal. 3:8; Rom. 5:19). By faith we receive remission of sins (Acts 26:18; 10:43). Its effect is the reception of justification, not the working it; as a man may be said to be maintained by his hands, or nourished by his mouth, when those do but receive that which nourishes—his food and drink. The cup is put for the liquor in the cup (1 Cor 11:26,27). See Romans 1:17 and 3:22. Christ is in us by faith (Eph. 3:17); received, ate, drunk (John 1:12; 6:51, 53, 54).
(d) This faith is to be understood exclusively to all our works for justification. We defend against the Papists justification by faith only, and there is nothing more fully expressed in Scripture phrase (Rom. 3:28; Gal. 2:16; Phil. 3:8,9; Rom. 4:16).
(e) We must understand faith in a full sense of receiving remission of the fault, as well as of the punishment. We believe God accounts not the fault to us of the least sin. And, where faith is said to be accounted for righteousness, it is because of the object it receives (Rom. 4:5-8; 2 Cor. 5:19,21). We believe Christ’s righteousness is imputed to us as our sins are to Him, or else we receive not remission of sins by believing; which is contrary to charging us with sin and condemnation, which charging signifies imputing sin (Rom. 8:33, 34). Together with the removal of the charge of sin, we receive the gift of righteousness (Rom. 5:17). And this we have in the reception of Christ’s redemption and bloodshed (Eph. 1:7; Matt. 26:28).
7. That God, in setting forth Christ to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, aimed to declare His righteousness now under the gospel, for the remission of sins that are past as well as present—of those sins that were past and committed under the Old Testament, which was God’s time of forbearing in pardoning, long before His justice was actually satisfied by Christ’s atonement (Heb. 13:8; Rev. 13:8; Matt. 18:26). The ground of these pardons is now revealed by Christ’s coming (Isa. 51:5,6; 56:1; Dan.9:24; 2 Tim. 1:9,10), that those pardons may be no blemish to the justice of God now satisfied (Ex.34:7; Ps. 85:10).
(a) By this righteousness is meant that righteousness of God mentioned in the proposition (Rom. 3:21,22), of which the text is but a confirmation— namely, the righteousness of God; not His essential righteousness, that which is an essential property of God, but righteousness, which is upon all them that believe-Christ’s righteousness, which is the end of the law (Rom. 10:3,4), and therefore called "God’s righteousness," that which Christ wrought for us, which is given to us and we receive by faith; that by which Christ answered the law for us, by which as the price, He redeemed us; which is called "God’s righteousness" because it is of God’s working, and it only has God’s acceptance and approbation—as Christ is called the "Lamb of God" because God provided Him and accepts Him as an offering (John 1:29). Upon the like account, Christ’s kingdom is called the "kingdom of God" because God’s own hand set it up, and maintains it, and rules it (Eph. 5:5). Christ, who became obedient to death to work this righteousness, was God as well as man (Phil. 2:6,8). And this is that righteousness of God here, and in other places: the righteousness which is of God by faith (Phil. 3:9).
(b) God aimed at declaring in gospel times His righteousness in forgiving sins past, in the time of God’s forbearance under the Old Testament (Rom. 3:25), and also in justifying those that believe in Christ at present, for it was by the righteousness of the same Christ that sins were pardoned under the Old Testament, as well as now (Heb 13:8). Christ was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Rev 13:8); only the righteousness was not actually fulfilled and revealed then, but it was shadowed out then by the sacrifices, ransoms, redemptions, etc. (Heb 10:1-3,9,10). So this was a time of God’s forbearance, because He pardoned sins, as it were, without present payment and satisfaction. He had patience and did not exact the debt, until Christ paid a]l (Matt. 18:26). But then God promised that He would reveal His righteousness in due time (Isa. 56:1; 51:5; Ps. 98:2; Dan. 9:24). And this He has done by the appearance of Christ (2. Tim 1:10).
8. The end of this manifestation is that God may appear just, in forgiving sins past as well as present, and the justifier of him that believes in Jesus. Here the essential property of God is exalted and appears glorious in justifying by the aforementioned righteousness of God.
(a) As God justifies freely by grace, He would appear in this way just in justifying sinners, for it would be a blemish to God’s justice to forgive without a satisfaction and righteousness performed, and therefore, though He is gracious and merciful, yet He will not clear the guilty (Ex. 34:7; Gen. 18:25; Ex. 23:7). And so the saints of God concluded that God had a righteousness and redemption by which He forgave sin, though it was not then revealed (Ps. 51:14; 130:7,8; 143:1,2). God would have justice and mercy to meet in our salvation (Ps. 85:10).
(b) God would have it appear that He only is just, and therefore saves us, not by our own righteousness, but by His, which is indeed the more exalted by our unrighteousness occasionally, though God is not therefore unrighteous in taking vengeance (Rom.3:4,5; Dan. 9:7).
(c) God would appear to be the only procurer and worker of our righteousness, and so our justifier by way of procurement, as well as by way of judgment, and so He will justify us by a righteousness of His own, and not by our own (Isa. 54:17; 45:22, 24, 25), that we may glory in the Lord only (1 Cor. 1:30,31).
Use I. It serves for instruction, by way of encouragement and consolation, that the great happiness of those that are in Christ is that their sins are forgiven, and they accounted just in the sight of the Judge of the world through the redemption that is by the blood of Christ; and this benefit contains all blessedness of life and the consequences of it (Rom. 4:6). That man to whom God imputes righteousness without works has a blessedness in it, and such an extensive blessedness, in regard of the spiritual part, as Abraham had, comprehending all spiritual blessings in Christ, for they which are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham (Gal. 3:9). For this righteousness, being the fundamental blessing, is revealed from faith to faith; and they that are by faith just, and justified through that righteousness, do live by faith, always receiving it and receiving nourishment and comfort by it (Rom. 1:17).
(1) They are delivered from the charge of sin and fault before God (Rom. 8:33,34, see Greek). Who shall lay anything to their charge, or be suffered to bring in at God’s tribunal any indictment, charge or accusation against them? It is God that justifies them, and Christ has died and rose again. They are redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits to God and the Lamb. In their mouth there is no guile, and they are without fault (see Greek on Rev 14:4,5) before the throne of God (see also Col. 1:22).
(2) They are delivered from all condemnation in sentence and execution, the curse and wrath of God: "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us" (Gal. 3:13). "Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come" (1 Thess. 1:10). "Thou hast taken away all Thy wrath: Thou hast turned Thyself from the fierceness of Thine anger (Ps. 85:3, see verses 5 & 6). The wrath of God is an insupportable burden and the foundation of all miseries, which foundation is razed and a foundation of blessedness laid, by which we have peace with God and are fully reconciled to God (Rom. 5:1,2; 2 Cor. 5:18,19). "You that were sometime alienated, and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled, in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and unblameable, and unreproveable in His sight" (Col.1:21,22). Now, where there is no blame before God, there can be no wrath from God.
(3) They have no need to seek salvation by the works of the law, and so are delivered from a yoke that cannot be borne, from endless observances that Pharisees and Papists have heaped up; from continual frights, doubts, fears and terrors by the law (Acts 15:10; Rom. 8:15); from a wrath-working law (Rom. 4:15); from a sin-irritating law (Rom 6:5); from a killing law, a ministration of death and condemnation (2 Cor. 3:6,7,9); Mount Sinai, which genders to bondage (Gal. 4:24).
(4) Thus they are delivered from a condemning conscience, which otherwise would still gnaw them as a worm. "If the blood of bulls and of goats, and ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies to the purifying of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works, to serve the living God?" (Heb. 9:14). A guilty conscience is a foul conscience, and it will make all services and duties dead works, unfit for the service of the living God; it is the blood of Christ applied by faith that takes off the foulness of guilt from the conscience; therefore the blood of Christ has the only efficacy this way to take off the conscience of sin (Heb. 10:1-4). Thus they come to have a good conscience (1 Pet. 3:21), void of offence toward God (Acts 24:16).
(5) It is an everlasting righteousness by which their standing in Christ is secured (Dan. 9:24). It is an eternal redemption that is obtained (Heb 9:12), whereas by the law those that were justified today typically might fall under condemnation so far as to need another sacrifice for sin tomorrow, they had no real purgation of conscience from sin by those sacrifices, and therefore could not have a lasting delivery of their consciences from guilt by them. Here it is far otherwise; here is an effectual, complete and perpetual redemption, reaching the conscience of the sinner, and for the purging away all sins, present and to come (1 John 1:7).
(6) It is a righteousness of infinite value, because it is the righteousness of one that is God, and His Name is JEHOVAH OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS (Jer. 23:6; Heb. 9:14). It is therefore more powerful to save than Adam’s sin was to destroy or condemn (Rom. 5). Christ is here the power of God (1 Cor. 1:24). Hence we are powerful, and conquer by faith. Likewise there is a marvelous plenty of mercy and grace that is brought to us by JEHOVAH our Righteousness, plenteous redemption (Ps. 130:7). It must be most plentiful, because infinite. Though no creature could satisfy for sin, yet Jehovah could do it abundantly, and therefore in Christ, God’s mercy prevails high above our sins (Ps. 103:11, 12).
(7) God’s grace and justice are both engaged on our behalf in this righteousness. Justice is terrible and seems to be against mercy and dreadful to natural people, but it is otherwise to believers; it is pacified and appeased through this righteousness; it is satisfied by Christ for our sins. Justice becomes our friend, joins in with grace and, instead of pleading against us, it is altogether for us, and it speaks contrary to what it speaks to sinners out of Christ (Josh 24:19,20). We may also plead justice for forgiveness through mercy in Christ (Rom. 3:26).
(8) We may be sure of holiness and glory, delivery from the power and dominion of sin, as well as the charge of it before God, and guilt in our consciences, for this was the end of Christ’s death (Titus 2:14; Rom. 6:6, 14; 8:3, 4, 30). "Whom He justified, them He also glorified." The law was the strength of sin, for sin had its title to rule in us by reason of the curse, and then Satan also rules; but here is our deliverance from sin and Satan, yea, from death too (Heb. 2:14,15; Hosea 13:14). And, by the same reason, we are raised by this excellent righteousness to a better state than we had in Adam at first, for Christ died that we might receive the adoption of sons, and the Spirit; that we might be brought under a new covenant, and be set in the right way of holiness, serving out of love (Gal. 3:14; 1 John 4:19; Gal. 4:5; Heb. 9:15; Rom. 5:11; Luke 1:74; Col. 2:13).
(9) We may be sure, hence, of a concurrence of all things for our good. All things shall work for good through grace to bring us to glory, because God is for us, who is the Creator and Governor of all things (Rom 8:28,31,33). God will never be wroth with us, nor rebuke us in anger any more (Isa. 54:9; Rom 5:2,5).
(10) Hence we may come before God without confusion of face, yea, with boldness to the throne of grace in Christ’s name (John 14:13, 14) and expect all good things from Him. "In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him (Eph. 3:12). "Let us draw near with full assurance of faith" (Heb. 10:22, 23). Christ’s blood pleads for us in heaven (Heb. 12:24); and we may, and are to plead boldly a satisfaction on His account.
(11) We live in those times when this righteousness is fully revealed, and sin made an end of (Rom. 3:21,22). This is our happiness above those that lived before Christ’s coming, who were under types and shadows of this righteousness, whereas we have the substance in its own light, and so we are not under the law, which they were under as a schoolmaster. We are not servants, but sons, called to liberty (Gal. 3:23, 26; 4:7; 5:13). The preaching the old covenant, as a church ordinance to be urged, now is ceased; the law is not to be preached now in the same terms as Moses preached it, for justification (Rom. 10:5-8; 2 Cor. 3:6, 7; Gal. 3:13, 24); it is contrary in terms of faith, though it were subservient.
Use 2. For examination whether we are in Christ and have received this justification by faith with all our hearts.
(1) Consider whether you are made really sensible of sin and your condemnation by the law. This is necessary to make us fly to Christ, and for this as one great end was the law given (Gal. 3:22-24; Matt. 9:13; Acts 2:37). Without sense of sin, there will be no prizing of Christ or desire of holiness, but rather abuse of grace to carnal security and licentiousness. Those that were stung with the fiery serpents looked up to the brazen serpent.
(2) Do you trust only on free mercy for justification in God’s sight, renouncing all your works whatever in this point, as not able to stand in them before God’s exact justice, crying mercy with the poor publican? Perfectionists and self-righteous persons have no share in this matter (Luke 18:13, 14). Paul, notwithstanding all that the world might think he had to plead for himself, "counted all but dung, that he might win Christ, and be found in Him, not having his own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith," that is, the redeeming and propitiating righteousness of Christ, by which he desired only to be justified and which he believed in for that end, opposing it to anything inherent in himself, which therefore he calls his own righteousness (Phil. 3:6,8,9; Rom. 4:5).
(3) Do you trust with any confidence in Christ, not continuing in a mere suspense? In a way of mere doubting, we can receive no good thing from God (James 1:6,7). Mere doubting will not loose the conscience from the guilt of sin (Heb 10:22), but leaves the soul under terrors. Abraham’s confidence is the example and pattern of our justifying faith, that we should endeavour to come up to, believing with a fulness of persuasion, in hope against hope (Rom 4:20,24). Though a believing soul may be assaulted with many doubtings, yet it fights against them and does not give up itself to the dominion of them (Ps. 42:11; Mark 9:24). It has always something contrary to them and striving with them.
4. Do you come to Christ for remission of sins for the right end, namely, that you may be freed from the dominion of sin before the living God (Heb. 9:14; Ps. 130; Titus 2:14; 1 Pet. 2:24). If otherwise, you do not receive it for the right end and do not desire really the favour and enjoyment of God and to be in friendship with Him.
5. Do you walk in holiness and strive to evidence this justification by the fruits of faith in good works? If otherwise, your faith is but a dead faith, for a true faith purifies the heart (Acts 15:9). If Christ is yours, He will be sanctification as well as righteousness (1 Cor. 1:30; Rom. 8:1,9; John 13:8). If God has taken you into His favour, He will doubtless cleanse you. Though faith alone justifies, without the concurrence of works to the act of justification, yet that faith is not so alone as not to be accompanied with good works, as the eye alone sees, yet it is not alone without other members. So the apostle James declares faith that is alone to be dead, and bids us show our faith by our works; which is to be understood, not as if works were the conditions of attaining justification, but sure evidences of justification attained by faith, and very necessary (James 2:14). The gospel is no covenant of works, requiring another righteousness for justification by doing for life. Works justify us from such accusations of men as will deny us to have justification by faith, or that we have a true and lively faith, or are good trees (Matt. 12:33,37); not as being our righteousness themselves, or conditions of our having Christ’s righteousness, or qualifying us for it.
Exhortation 1. It exhorts the wicked to several duties. It is deportation to them from continuance in sin, under God’s wrath, running headlong to damnation; for here is a door of mercy opened to them, a righteousness prepared that they may be freely accepted of God. Some men are desperadoes; "They have loved strangers, and after them they will go" (Jer. 2:25).
They are resolved to run the risk of it, and please themselves that they shall speed as well as others. And some men would be justified, but seek for it in a wrong way. Some will go to the pope, to quiet their consciences by his deceits; some to their own works and performances, but you are exhorted to look out for the true righteousness. Christ says in the gospel, "Behold Me, Behold Me," the kingdom of heaven is open, mercy and righteousness are freely offered (Isa. 55:6,7; Jer. 3:12). Repentance is preached with remission of sins (Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38). Beware you do not neglect this acceptable time, this day of salvation (Heb. 2:1,3). For,
(1) If you do, you remain under the wrath of God (John 3:36), under the curse of the law, which, like a flood, sweeps away all that are found out of this ark, the Lord Jesus Christ (Ps. 11:5,6).
(2) Your condemnation will be aggravated by refusing so great salvation (Heb. 2:3). You will have no cloak for your sins, when you refuse mercy (John 15:22). You cannot say you are undone by your past sins beyond recovery, and therefore it is in vain to strive, for, behold, remission of sins is proclaimed to you (Ezek. 33:10,11). And what a horrid sin is it, to despise the blood of the Son of God (John 3:18,36)!
Objection 1. If God justify the ungodly (Rom. 4:5), what need I forsake ungodliness at all (Rom. 6:1)?
Answer. You cannot seek justification truly, except you have a mind to live to God in friendship with Him, for justification is God’s way of taking us into friendship with Him (Rom. 5:1,2), and of reconciling us (2 Cor. 5:19). The use you are to make of it is to seek God’s friendship by it, and the enjoyment of Him. Why does a man seek a pardon, if he intends to go on in rebellion and stand out in defiance to his prince (1 Pet. 2:24)? They seek pardon in a mocking way, that intend not to return to obedience (Gal. 6:7,8).
Objection 2. My sins are so great, that I have no encouragement to hope.
Answer. Christ’s righteousness is for all sorts of sinners that believe, whether Jews or Gentiles (and how great sinners were of both sorts!) (Rom. 1:2,3) and even for those that killed and murdered the Lord of glory (Acts 2:23, 36; 1 Cor. 2:8), for the chief of the sinners (1 Tim. 1:15; Acts 16). "Where sin abounds, grace superabounds" (Rom. 5:20). Your sins are but the sins of a creature, but His righteousness is the righteousness of God (John 6:37; Rom. 10:3, 11, 13).
Exhortation 2. It exhorts those that have a mind to turn to God, to turn the right way by faith in Christ for justification. Let them not seek by works, as most in the world do, and all are prone to do (Rom 9:31,32). But this doctrine seems very foolish, yea, pernicious to a natural man. "Become a fool, that you may be wise" (1 Cor 3:18); otherwise you will labour in the fire, and weary yourselves for very vanity, and be under continual discomforts and discouragements, for you can do no good work while you are in the flesh, under the law and its curse, before God has received you into favour, for justification is in order of nature before true holiness of heart and life (1 Tim 1:5; Heb 9:14). Faith is the great work and mother duty (John 6:29; Gal. 5:6; Isa. 55:2), and therefore while you believe not, you dishonour Christ and His death (Gal. 2:21, 5:2-4). Therefore come boldly, though you have been a great sinner (Acts 10:43), an seek righteousness in Christ with holiness (Rom. 8:1)
Question. But how shall I get faith?
Answer. Faith is the gift of God (Eph. 2:8), and by the gospel (Rom. 1:15-17). Faith comes by hearing the gospel preached (Rom. 10:17), and that comes in working faith, not in word only, but in power (1 Thess 1:5), beyond what can be done by natural or human attainment (John 6:63). Therefore, if you have no beginning of it in you, your only way is to attend to the gospel and to meditate on your sin and misery and Christ’s excellency, that so you may be inclined in your heart to believe (Song of Sol. 1:3; Gal.2;16; Ps. 9:10), for this is the way God uses to beget faith (Isa. 55:3). But if you have a desire and inclination to fly from yourself to Christ, in the bent of your heart, so that you prefer Christ above all, then the Spirit has begun and will carry on the work, so that now you may pray confidently for faith (Song of Sol. 1:4; Luke 11:13; Mark 9:24).
Objection 3. But without holiness no man shall see the Lord (Heb 12:14). And how shall I get holiness? I cannot sanctify myself, and this confidence you speak of may slacken my diligence.
Answer. If you have righteousness in Christ, God will make you holy, and this confidence is the only way to get holiness, because of that righteousness (Rom. 5:21). The new covenant is confirmed in Him, which promises a new heart. If sin is forgiven you shall be delivered from its power and quickened by the same death and resurrection of Christ whereby you are justified (Col. 2:12, 13).
Exhortation 3. It exhorts them that are justified by faith.
(1) To walk humbly, as being nothing of themselves; to acknowledge themselves enemies to God by nature, and acknowledge their sins in the greatness and heinousness of them, that they are saved freely by the righteousness of another, not by their own—yea, that they are so far fallen that the justice of God would have been against them, if it had not been satisfied (Ps. 71:16; Rom. 3:27), but now they see that Christ has satisfied, and His righteousness is above their sins (Ezek. 36:31).
(2) To praise and glorify God through Christ for His grace. Oh, what abundant grace and love appears in God’s washing and cleansing us by His Son’s blood (Rev. 1:5; Gal. 2:20)! and in making His Son sin and a curse for us (Rom. 5:5, 8; 1 John 4:9, 10; 3:16; 2 Cor. 8:9)!
And what a glorious and excellent righteousness has God given us in Christ (Isa. 61:10)!
(3) To walk comfortably, upon the account of this righteousness (Isa. 40:1,2). Triumph over sin and affliction (Rom. 8:33,39). Be confident in expecting great things from God (Heb 10:22), for though you may be unworthy and grace will show you your own unworthiness, yet you stand upon the righteousness of Christ. Glory in the hope of God’s glory, for if Christ died to reconcile you when you were enemies, much more will He save you by His life, now you are reconciled (Rom 5:3,10). Ask boldly for what you want, for God is in Christ’s manhood as the mercy-seat. Whenever sin stings you and objections trouble you, look to the brazen serpent, confess sin and trust for pardon, meditate on Christ’s righteousness and the abundance of grace in Him (Rom 8:32). If you find never so much ungodliness, no good qualifications, yet Christ is at hand for your comfort (Isa. 50:10; 2 Thess. 2:16,17). In all your sins apply yourselves to this fountain (Zech. 13:1; 1 John 1:7). If sin lie on the conscience, it weakens peace and spiritual strength. Lay not under guilt with a slavish fear; you have a righteousness to deliver you from it; apply it by faith, that you may have no more conscience of sin as condemning (Heb. 10:2; Ps. 32). You have a better righteousness than any perfectionists can have.
(4) Hold fast this way of justification, notwithstanding all the noise that is made in the world against it, for the devil will strive to scare you out of it or steal it from you, as he did from the Jews, from the Galatians, the Papists and many Protestants (Gal. 1:6). And the apostle reckons it is by a spiritual bewitchery. He will strive to get you to trust on works, and tell you it is for the promoting of holiness, and to trust on works to get Christ, and to lay works lowest in the foundation. If you lose this righteousness of Christ, under any color or pretence whatever, you lose all (Gal. 5:2,3). Do not so dishonor Christ as to think of procuring that by works which you have fully in Christ. Think not that the gospel requires another justification to gain this, for the gospel is no legal covenant, but a declaration of the righteousness of faith and we, being justified, are heirs by adoption and promise (Gal. 3:24-26; 4:7). This is the doctrine which glorifies God and abases the creature, which is a great mark of its truth. Beware therefore of carnal reason, which will go quite contrary, and make Christ’s righteousness a stumbling-stone to you (1 Pet. 2:8; Rom. 9:32,33).
(5) Walk as one that enjoys the favour of God in Christ. Let Him have the honour of it. Walk therefore in holiness, knowing by what price you are redeemed (1 Pet. 1:17, 18; 2 Cor. 5:14, 15; 1 Pet. 1:5,11; 1 Cor. 6:20). Love God that has loved you first (1 John 4:19; Ps. 116:16). Believe that God will enable you for the practice of holiness (Rom. 6:14). Particularly, walk in love to the saints; exercise forgiveness to your enemies. Sense of your own sins and God’s forgiving you will cause you to pity and forgive others, else you cannot pray or trust for forgiveness of your own sins upon reasonable grounds (Eph. 4:31,32; Matt. 6:14,15; 18:21). Desire grace may be exalted on others, and wait patiently for the full declaration of justification at the great day (Gal. 5:5; Acts 3:19), for here your justification is known only by faith, but in outward things you are dealt with as a sinner; then your righteousness shall appear openly and you shall be dealt with according to it.
mib
Veritas
Genesis chapter 1 says it all.
1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening F1 and the morning were the first day.
6 And God said, Let there be a firmament F2 in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. 7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. 8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.
9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. 11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, F3 the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And the evening and the morning were the third day.
14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day F4 from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: 15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. 16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, F5 and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. 17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, 18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. 19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. 21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. 23 And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. 25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
26 And 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 fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth F6 upon the earth.
29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. 30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, F8 I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Job 1: 12
"And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath [is] in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD."
This verse is a marvellous illustration that our Soverign God allows and uses Satan to remove things from our lives.
Notice though, that it is God who permits it. For sure according to scripture our salvation has been sealed by the Spirit with the blood of Christ and that is NEVER going to change or be taken away.
But what about "things", distractions that God removes or allows to be removed from our lives?
Sometimes God wants our attention and all of it. In fact, more than sometimes. He wants and desires our full and complete devotion to HIM and to HIS work He has for us.
If necessary according to His perfect will and judgment, He will and does remove the "distractions" from our lives becasuse it is difficult for us to "hear" Him when we are pre-occupied with "things" that cause us to not be focused on what He wants us to do.
Those "things can be anything and we as believers have een given plenty of discerning power through the Holy Spirit and the Written Word.
So, this verse can speak of and demonstrate that God does allow things to be removed from our lives, and yes, even our own.
God wants ALL of us and we are not our own. We are bought with a price.
My admonition to any and all is to willingly and joyfully remove the "things that do hinder" our walk with and our service, praise, and adoration of our God and Savior.
Blessings in Christ Jesus,
mib
An old quote from Dr. B.R. Lakin
First I was a tadpole
when I began to begin
Then I was a frog
with my tail tucked in
Then Iwas a monkey
swinging up in a tree
Then I became a man
with a PHD!
I was reading the life history of brother Lakin and remebered this. I have been privileged to have heard him in person several times and fellowship with him before he went home to be with the Lord.
I just remembered this humorous little ode he made up to describe the theory of evolution.
MIB
Being a New Creature.
Introduction
In 2 Corinthians 5: 17 we read, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
After we called upon the name of the Lord to forgive us of our sins and to save us, a supernatural transformation took place within us. Things just aren’t the same as they used to be; at least they shouldn’t be.
We were immediately sealed unto the day of redemption by the Holy Ghost, indwelt by God the Spirit, given a new nature, and supplied with all the power and tools necessary to have victory over the old nature!
As our new lives began to age we found ourselves not enjoying the company of our old friends quite as much. As we grew in grace and the Spirit was working in our lives, we then noticed that not only did we not enjoy the company of our old friends as much as we previously did, but that we actually enjoyed being in the company of fellow believers more.
This process of growth is called the sanctification of the believer and it is a continual and ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in the life of EVERY BELIEVER. It is also known as progressive sanctification. We are a lively stone and we are to be continually transforming and becoming more like Christ throughout our entire Christian lives.
There are varying and different distinguishing marks that identify whether a person has genuinely been saved by God.
If a person has been saved, he or she will have FRUITS in their lives that are evident.
Tonight, we are going to look at a portion of one of these “fruits”, from which hang all the Law and the Prophets. (Mt. 22: 40)
The first fruit listed in Galatians 5: 22 is LOVE.
Let us examine tonight what the Word of God has to say concerning love between believers.
Our text is found in I John 4: 10 – 14
I. The Illustration of love! (I John 4: 10 – 11)
A. If God so loved us (vv.11)
A. How does God love us? Verse 10 reveals the answer! HEREIN is LOVE!!!
a. He became the propitiation for our sins! (vv.10)
B. Propitiation means “mercy seat”.
a. It is the same as the Old Testament word “atonement” meaning “to cover”.
b. Once a year the high priest went into the holy of holies bringing blood to be sprinkled on the mercy seat. This is why it is a “mercy seat”, because the people could meet God only in this way.
c. This was done on the Day of Atonement, only once a year!
C. Now the Lord Jesus is called the “propitiation for our sins”, which means that He is the Mercy Seat for our sins!
a. It is through the shedding of His blood and sacrifice for our sins that our sins have been atoned for and PERMANENTLY FORGIVEN!
b. Hebrews 10 says, “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,” (Verses 10, 17,18,19)
D. That seat of mercy has now become a throne of grace where we can freely enter into God’s presence because Jesus has made atonement for our sins and become our living mercy seat!
B. Because God loves us that much, we are to love one another. (Verse 11)
A. Believers are to love each other for the singular reason that God loved them so much that he gave His only begotten Son to be the PROPITIATION of their sins and SAVIOUR of their souls!
B. We are to love unselfishly. Jesus said, “For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?” (Mt. 5: 46)
C. We are to love each other if we love Him!
a. “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (Jn. 14: 15)
b. “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.” (Jn. 15: 12)
II. Love of the Brethren is an ACT of OBEDIENCE.
A. Love of the brethren is a COMMANDMENT, not a request!
A. “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” (John 13: 34)
B. “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you” (John 15: 12)
C. “And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.” (I John 3: 23)
D.
B. Our love is to be Genuine and not fake!
A. “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:” (I Pet. 1: 22)
C. Loving one another FULFILLS the LAW
A. “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Mt. 22: 37 – 40)
B. “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” (Rom. 13: 8)
III. Love of the brethren is an indicator of:
A. Salvation
1. “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.” (I John 3: 14)
B. THAT YOU BELONG TO GOD.
1. “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
(John 13: 35)
2. “But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?” (I John 3: 17)
IV. Brotherly love is more than lip service!
A. We must DEMONSTRATE our care by fulfilling other’s NEEDS, whether they be
SPIRITUAL, FINANCIAL, or PHYSICAL!
1. “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:” (Heb. 10: 24)
2. “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” (I John 3: 18)
3. “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone” (Jas. 2: 14 – 17)
B. Love Enables us to Serve one another!
1. “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh,
but by love serve one another.” (Gal.5: 13)
V. WHY SHOULD WE CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER?
A. Because God the Son set the example of loving the brethren.
1. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God,
thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon
him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:” (Php. 2: 5 – 7)
2. Jesus loved us so much he wanted to experience first hand our sufferings and hurts and
pains so he could minister to those needs!
a. “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Heb. 4: 14,15)
B. Because God the Father gave his only begotten Son! (John 3: 16)
VI. What Our Mindset Should Be Toward One Another
A. Should be the same as our Saviour’s
1. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:” (Php. 2: 5)
2. “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;” (Rom. 12: 10)
3. “Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” (Php. 2: 2,3)
4. “That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.“ (I Cor. 12: 25)
Conclusion/Invitation
Every head bowed and every eye closed as we stand together.
I wonder tonight, how is it with you?
Do you prefer to be around God’s people more than Satan’s people?
Do you know of folks that have some need that you could help them with and simply have failed to be obedient to God’s commands in His Word?
Do you think about others and are concerned for them like Jesus is concerned. He told us to cast every care upon Him, for He careth for you. (I Pet. 5: 7)
We have seen in this study of God’s word that it is not only God’s desire, but His command for us to care for and love one another. If you examine your own self and find that you may be coming up a little short in light of God’s Word, I would encourage you to take this opportunity to come and make it right with God as the invitation begins.
Do you love your brother and sister in the Lord?
Jesus said many shall say unto me in that day, Lord, lord, we have done this and that in thy name, and he will say unto them, depart from me you wicked and accursed, I never you.
Don’t let this be the case with you.
Make sure you belong to Him tonight.
This was a sermon I preached a few years ago and thought it might be profitable to share.
Blessings,
MIB
Names of God in the O.T.
• Elohim (God)
• Jehovah/Yahweh (the self-existent one: I AM)
• Jehovah-jireh (the Lord will provide)
• Jehovah-rapha (the Lord who heals)
• Jehovah-nissi (the Lord our banner)
• Jehovah-Shalom (the Lord our peace)
• Jehovah-ra-ah (the Lord my shepherd)
• Jehovah-tsidkenu (the Lord our righteousness)
• Jehovah-shammad (the Lord is present)
• Jehovah-Elohim (the Lord God)
• Jehovah Sabaoth (the Lord of hosts)
• El Elyon (the most high God)
• Adonai (our master)
• El Shaddai (Almighty God, the strength giver)
• El Olam (everlasting God)
• Jehovah-Mekoddishkem (the Lord who sanctifies you, the Lord who makes you holy)
An outline Titus 2
Here is an outline I have for both teaching and preaching from. I understand that you may not agree 100 percent with all the points, and realize that these are all just points. When preaching or teaching these are to stimulate the mind to expound much broader and in more detail so please realize it is only an outline. I hope that you may like it or even find it useful.
Titus
Chapter 2
I. The Church is to Teach Sound Doctrine (Titus 2: 1)
A. Sound Doctrine: From Christ, to the Apostles, to the Church.
1. The Lord taught and instructed the Apostles
2. The Apostles were to carry on the work of Christ and His Plan, the Church.
3. The Apostles were to teach and train pastors in doctrine and the care and growing of the church through the sound preaching of the gospel!
4. Paul was an apostle and is instructing Titus in the things that pertain to how the church is to conduct itself. It is to teach and preach sound doctrine! Why?
B. The Results of Teaching and Preaching Sound Doctrine.
1. People receive Christ as Savior.
2. Growth occurs.
a. Individuals grow in the fundamentals of the faith and therefore:
b. The church will grow as a result of the individuals being obedient to the command to “go ye therefore into all the world and preach the gospel”.
c. Church growth is a natural result of obedient, energized believers who are surrendered to the will of God. “…and the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved”. (Acts 2: 47)
3. The church is edified and unified. People will become convicted of their sins, repent of them, and become more like Christ.
4. Christ is exalted and lifted up!!!!! He loved the church and gave Himself for it!
II. Conduct of the Body of the Church (Titus 2: 2 – 10)
A. The Conduct of the Elder Men (verse 2)
1. Be sober. Be vigilant and on-guard.
2. Be grave and serious about the things of God.
3. Be temperate and exercise caution and care to not get carried away. We need to help our younger brothers with temperance.
4. Be sound in faith and not wishy-washy. We need to be able to give an answer as to the hope that is in us. We can do this by being grounded in the Word through study and reading and memorizing The Word! We need to stay in the will of God in order to have the power of God in our lives.
5. Be sound in love. We are to love our wives, love our brethren, and love the lost by example. We are to be an example to the younger men and teach and instruct them in godly living and obedience.
6. Be sound in patience. We are to exercise in all areas of our lives and not be to be reactionary. We should show patience to our younger brothers and demonstrate that God is pleased with patience and not pleased with acting rashly and in haste.
It is the sober, temperate, and patient believers that will make the decisions that
will please God and bring honor to His name.
B. The Conduct of the Elder Women (verses 3 – 5a)
1. The senior women are to be an example by their behavior for the younger women in the faith. Their behavior should ……
a. Reflect holiness. Be reverent and Christ-like in your actions and your words.
b. Be not false accusers. Don’t be a gossip and/or speaking ill of anyone, anytime, whether you know something to be true and factual or not.
c. Don’t be involved in drinking alcohol
d. Teach good things. You are to be teachers of good things by word and by your actions. Good things are those things that conform to the Word of God and are pleasing to Him in all areas of our lives.
e. Who do you teach? The younger women!!!
2. What do the senior women teach the younger?
a. To be sober or serious about spiritual things.
b. To love their husbands. Teach the younger women how to love their husbands even when they are not very lovable.
c. To be discreet. Teaching the younger women to be modest and not to draw attention to themselves, especially the attention of other men.
d. To be keepers at home. Teaching the younger women how to keep a clean and a happy home environment that the family will want to come home to.
e. To be good. This means how to be good wives and mothers and goes in hand with being keepers at home. Being a good wife to her husband, a good mother to her children, and a godly woman. “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing”. (Proverbs 18: 22)
f. Obedient to their husbands. The word obedient here means respond to. They are to follow their husbands’ leadership. However, husbands, if you want your wife to respond to you, it would behoove you to demonstrate to your wives your love for them in word and deed if you expect them to follow you willingly. The reason it is important to teach this to the younger married women is because it is the earlier years of marriage when things are a little more testy at home and the instruction can help them avoid difficulties in their marriage and be productive saints for the Lord.
C. The Young Men’s Instructions (verses 6 – 8)
1. Be sober minded
2. Show a pattern of good works. Demonstrate your faith consistently. (James 2: 18)
3. Do not be corrupt in doctrine, but rather study to show thyself approved, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth”. (IITim. 2: 15)
4. Be grave and sincere. In all things pertaining to God, be serious and without pretense. The things of eternal value and consequence are not to be taken lightly.
5. To have sound speech. What comes out of your mouth is what is in your heart. If you want to control what comes out of your mouth, control what goes into your heart. Eat a steady diet of the Word of God! It will help you grow in grace!!!
D. Instructions for Servants (verses 9 – 10)
1. Obey your employer. Be obedient to his/her directives and instructions unless they violate the Word of God.
2. Go the extra mile and try to please them always.
3. Don’t talk back. Rather obey them in silence and bring honor to Christ.
4. Do not steal from your employer. (purloining)
5. Be faithful to your employer. Be on time and be dependable. Someone they can count on.
6. If you will do these things you are outwardly demonstrating (adorning) to your employer that the doctrines, Word, and grace of God dwell inwardly within you. This brings honor and glory to His name.
II. Instructions to the Churches about the Grace of God (verses 11 – 15)
Titus is to teach the churches in Crete
A. What grace does and is. (verses 11 – 12)
1. God has revealed his grace to all men! There is not a man to whom God’s grace has not been revealed.
2. Grace is “the power of God unto salvation, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Rom. 1: 16)
a. The gospel is empowered by grace. It isn’t just good news. It is power!!
b. God saves us by His grace! It transforms us from a sinner to a saint! “For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Eph. 2: 18)
3. The Spirit which indwells us by grace will teach us to live soberly, righteously, and godly in our daily lives.
4. A person who has experienced the grace of God will be longing and looking for that blessed hope who will one day return for us and call us home to meet Him in the air.
a. This hope or longing is a good outward indicator of an inward condition. If a person isn’t excited or looking forward to being united with Christ, it is a good indication that he/she has not had a transformation of heart condition and is not really saved. Paul said we are to be looking for that blessed hope. He described it as a longing, almost a yearning.
b. How is it with you? Do you long to go home and be with Him? I know I do.
5. Christ gave Himself, and took our place upon the cross, that He might redeem us to God from the penalty we owed because of our iniquities. He became the substitutionary perfect offering for us in order to satisfy the debt payment that was due. He paid the debt in full according to the perfect will and plan of God in order that the Word of God and prophecy would be fulfilled.
6. We are to be a peculiar, or different, people because of what He has done for us. We are not to act like the world but rather to strive to be like Christ. We should be desirous of and striving to do good in all things that He might be honored and glorified.
7. These things are to be taught with authority and encourage the believers to embrace the doctrines and principles of conduct for the members of the Church. The pastor is not to back off of these teachings as they come directly from the Apostle Paul, who received them directly from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Well, I see the site does not allow us to "paste" an outline form in its orignal format! lol!!!!
Sorry about that all.
Blessings in Jesus name,
mib
Barge
Do you think that it is any surprise that the company that makes xbox's and Vista and has Bitlocker included in the operating system as well as tvtonic and extenders would be the one to get this coverage from the Olympics and NBC streamed into the homes?
I think this is a great BEGINNING and possibly we may see some future use for those tpms that have been laying dormant in those xbox's you have been talking about for so long a time now.
I understand that the audience may well be relatively small in size, and that there are NO CONCRETE INFORMATION DETAILS regarding revenues in any of this, BUT, you got to start somewhere. I think it could be an excellent beginning point for utilization and even poossibly demonstration of capabilities of securing content from the "net" maybe for other things such as have already been mentioned, like hooking up with a movie supplier or even better, how about a studio?
I just find it "interesting" how these things just happened to come together.
Hope this works out and gives us some much needed revenues.
The best,
mib
V,
A sign of the times brother! Rejoice!
blessings,
mib
BRAD, ABSOLUTELY!!!
With you 100 percent on that!
Great analysis brother!
I am so glad our creator, and REDEEMER, and GOD gave us everything we need to know and more than we can possibly understand in our lifetimes in a BOOK! We don;t have to guess at things, we can KNOW, amen?
Wonderful is the Word of God!
Preserved!!!!
Blessings this fine day to you,
mib